22^i«i^ MB^M M.^ 


"CTT! 


hmm#;. 


Ihe  Campaign  of  the 

cJUNGLE 

/  ,  or.  Under 

\Lawton  through  Luzon 


= 


o 


Edward 

*  ^tratemeyer: 


><?7Z4s^2. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00025764067 


EDWARD   STRATEMEYER'S    BOOKS 
©Io  (Storg  Series 

Six  Volumes.     Cloth.     Illustrated.     Price  per  volume  $1.25. 
UNDER    DEWEY  AT    MANILA.  UNDER   OTIS    IN   THE   PHILIPPINES 

A  YOUNG    VOLUNTEER  1N    CUBA.  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

FIGHTING    IN    CUBAN    WATERS.  UNDER    MacARTHUR  IN    LUZON. 

Stratemeger  -popular  Scries 

Twelve  Volumes.     Cloth.  Illustrated.     Price  per  volume  $0.75. 
THE  LAST  CRUISE  OF  THE  SPITFIRE.    TO    ALASKA    FOR   GOLD. 

REUBEN    STONE'S    DISCOVERY.  THE  YOUNG    AUCTIONEER. 

TRUE  TO    HIMSELF.  BOUND   TO    BE  AN    ELECTRICIAN. 

RICHARD    DARE'S   VENTURE.  SHORTHAND  TOM,  THE  REPORTER 

OLIVER    BRIGHT'S   SEARCH.  FIGHTING    FOR    HIS   OWN. 

JOE,    THE  SURVEYOR.  LARRY,   THE  WANDERER. 

Soloiers  of  jForturte  Series 

Cloth.     Illustrated.     Price  per  volume  $1.25. 
ON  TO   PEKIN.  AT  THE    FALL  OF   PORT  ARTHUR. 

UNDER   THE  MIKADO'S   FLAG.       WITH   TOGO   FOR  JAPAN. 

American  Bogs'  38iograpljicat  Series 

Cloth.  Illustrated.  Price  per  volume  $1.25. 
AMERICAN  BOYS'  LIFE  OF  WILLIAM  McKINLEY. 
AMERICAN    BOYS'    LIFE  OF  THEODORE   ROOSEVELT. 

Colonial  Series 

Cloth.     Illustrated.     Price  per  volume  $1.25. 
WITH    WASHINGTON    IN   THE   WEST.        THE   FORT   IN    THE  WILDERNESS 
MARCHING   ON    NIAGARA.  ON   THE  TRAIL  OF   PONTIAC. 

AT  THE  FALL  OF   MONTREAL.  TRAIL  AND  TRADING   POST. 

■patt=&merfcan  Series 

Cloth.     Illustrated.     Price  per  volume  $1.25. 

LOST  ON  THE  ORINOCO.  YOUNG  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  ISTHMUS. 

THE  YOUNG  VOLCANO  EXPLORERS.     YOUNG  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  AMAZON. 

TREASURE  SEEKERS   OF  THE  ANDES. 


J9abe  porter  Series 


Cloth.    Illustrated,     Price  per  volume  $1.25. 
DAVE  PORTER  AT  OAK  HALL.  DAVE  PORTER'S  RETURN  TO  SCHOOL. 

DAVE  PORTER  IN  THE  SOUTH  SEAS.     DAVE  PORTER  IN  THE  FAR  NORTH. 


TWO   YOUNG    LUMBERMEN.     Price  $1.25. 
BETWEEN    BOER    AND    BRITON.     Price  $1.25. 
DEFENDING    HIS    FLAG.     Price  $1.50. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/campaignofjungleOOstra 


. 

^-     j 

You  are  from  the  Olympia,  I  believe  ?  "  —  Page  23. 


S(C_S 


®ltf   (Sltft'g   %>ZKXZ% 


THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 


Under  Lawton  through  Luzon 


BY 


EDWARD    STRATEMEYER 

AUTHOR  OF   "UNDER   DEWEY  AT   MANILA,"    "A   YOUNG  VOLUNTEER 

IN   CUBA,"    "FIGHTING  IN   CUBAN   WATERS,"    "UNDER   OTIS 

IN  THE   PHILIPPINES,"    "  TO  ALASKA  FOR   GOLD" 

"  RICHARD  DARE'S   VENTURE,"    "  OLIVER 

BRIGHT'S   SEARCH,"   ETC. 


ILLUSTBATED  BY  A.   B.   SHUTE 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP,   LEE    &   SHEPARD    CO, 


Coptxioht,  1900,  bt  Lee  and  Shepaed. 


All  Hights  Reserved. 


The  Campaign  of  the  Jungle. 


Korfaocti  ^ress 

}.  S.  Cuihing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith 
Norwood  Mass.  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 

"The  Campaign  of  the  Jungle"  is  a  com- 
plete story  in  itself,  but  forms  the  fifth  volume  of 
the  "  Old  Glory  Series,"  a  line  of  tales  depicting  life 
and  adventure  in  our  army  and  navy  of  to-day. 

The  heroes  of  these  various  stories  are  the  three 
Russell  brothers,  Larry,  Walter,  and  Ben.  In  the 
first  volume  we  told  of  Larry's  adventures  while 
"Under  Dewey  at  Manila,"  in  the  second  and 
fourth  we  followed  Ben  as  "A  Young  Volunteer 
in  Cuba  "  and  during  the  opening  campaign  "  Under 
Otis  in  the  Philippines,"  while  in  the  third  tale  we 
saw  what  Walter  could  do  "Fighting  in  Cuban 
Waters." 

In  the  present  volume  the  reader  is  asked  to 
follow  the  fortunes  of  both  Larry  and  Ben  in  two 
important  expeditions  of  that  gallant  soldier,  Gen- 
eral Henry  W.  Lawton,  the  first  directed  against 
Santa  Cruz  on  the  Laguna  de  Bay,  where  the  insur- 
gents were  left  badly  scattered,  and  the  second  from 
Manila  to  San  Isidro,  a  winding  advance  of  about 
dne   hundred   and   fifty  miles  through   the   jungle, 

iii 


IV  PREFACE 

which  took  twenty  days  to  complete,  and  during 
which  time  twenty-two  battles  were  fought  and 
twenty-eight  towns  were  captured,  along  with  large 
quantities  of  army  stores  and  the  like.  This  latter 
expedition  was  one  of  the  most  daring  of  its  kind, 
and  could  not  have  been  pushed  to  success  had  not 
the  man  at  its  head  been  what  he  was,  a  trained 
Indian  fighter  of  our  own  West,  and  one  whose 
nerve  and  courage  were  almost  beyond  comprehen- 
sion. Small  wonder  it  was  that  when,  later  on,  Gen- 
eral Lawton  was  killed  on  the  firing  line,  General 
Otis  cabled,  "  Great  loss  to  us  and  to  his  country." 

As  in  the  previous  volumes  of  this  series,  the 
author  has  endeavored  to  be  as  accurate,  histori- 
cally, as  possible,  and  for  this  reason  has  examined 
the  reports  of  the  officers  high  in  command,  as  well 
as  listened  to  many  tales  related  by  the  returning 
soldiers  themselves.  It  is  therefore  hoped  that  if 
any  errors  have  crept  in  they  may  not  be  of  suffi- 
cient magnitude  to  hurt  the  general  usefulness  of 
the  work  from  an  historical  standpoint.  As  a  story 
of  adventure,  the  writer  trusts  it  will  find  equal 
favor  with  those  that  have  preceded  it  in  the  series. 


EDWARD  STRATEMEYER. 


Newark,  N.  J., 
March  1, 1900. 


CONTENTS 


OHAPTXS  PASS 

I.    Dismaying  News       ......        1 


II.  Something  about  the  Situation  at  Malo- 

LOS 

ITT.  An  Adventure  on  the  Pasig  River    . 

IV.  The  Gap  in  the  Firing  Line         .        . 

V.  An  Encounter  at  the  River 

VI.  In  which  Luke  Striker  is  Wounded  . 

VII.  The  Retreat  to  the  Rice-house  . 

VEIL  A  Prisoner  of  the  Filipinos 

IX.  The  Advance  into  the  Jungle     .        . 

X.  The  Taking  of  Angat    .... 

XI.  The  Crossing  of  the  Rio  Grande  River 

XII.  Something  about  a  Poisoned  Well     . 

XIII.  In  which  a  Flag  of  Truce  is  fired  Upon 

XIV.  Surrounded  by  the  Enemy   . 
XV.  The  Escape  from  the  Burning  House 

XVI.  News  from  Home 

XVII.  In  and  out  of  a  Strange  Pitfall 

XVHI.  The  Adventure  at  the  Mill-house     . 

v 


10 

20 

30 

41 

52 

61 

70 

81 

91 

101 

112 

122 

132 

141 

150 

160 

169 


VI 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

XIX.  News  of  Larry      .... 

XX.  The  Advance  upon  Maasin 

XXI.  Camping  over  a  Powder  Magazine 

XXII.  The  Result  of  an  Ambush 

XXIII.  The  Tornado  in  the  Cane-brake 

XXIV.  The  Flight  for  Liberty     . 
XXV.  The  Caves  under  the  Mountain 

XXVI.  Boxer  the  Scout   .... 

XXVII.  The  Departure  of  the  Olympia 

XXVIII.  The  Advance  upon  San  Isidro  . 

XXIX.  Larry  is  sentenced  to  be  Shot 

XXX.  A  Rescue  under  Difficulties    . 

XXXI.  The  Fall  of  San  Isidro  —  Conclusion 


PAGl 

179 


.  189 

.  199 

.  208 

.  218 

.  227 

.  235 

.  244 

.  257 

.  267 

.  280 

.  292 

.  305 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


"  '  You  are  from  the  Olympia,  I  believe  ? '  "         .        Frontispiece 

PAGE 

"  '  Alto  ! '  came  the  sudden  cry  " 47 

"  '  Hullo,  sailor,  where  did  you  come  from  ? '"  .        .        .  82 

"  '  The  well  is  poisoned !  don't  drink  !  it  will  kill  you  I '"    .  115 

"  His  sword  kept  the  two  Tagals  back  "     .  147 

"  '  Can  you  hold  on  a  few  minutes  longer  ?  '  "     .        .        .  173 

"  On  they  plodded,  up  an  incline  that  seemed  to  have  no 

end" 236 

"  Down  went  the  sapling  over  the  edge  of  the  cliff  "  .    281 


THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

CHAPTER  I 

DISMAYING  NEWS 

"  How  are  you  feeling  to-day,  Ben  ?  " 

"  Fairly  good,  Larry.  If  it  wasn't  for  this  awfully 
hot  weather,  the  wound  wouldn't  bother  me  at  all. 
The  doctor  says  that  if  I  continue  to  improve  as  I 
have,  I  can  rejoin  my  company  by  the  middle  of 
next  week." 

"You  mustn't  hurry  matters.  You  did  enough 
fighting  at  Caloocan,  Malabon,  Polo,  and  here,  to 
last  you  for  some  time.  Let  the  other  fellows  have 
a  share  of  it."  And  Larry  Russell  smiled  grimly  as 
he  bent  over  his  elder  brother  and  grasped  the  hand 
that  was  thrust  forward. 

"  I  am  willing  the  other  fellows  should  have  their 
share  of  the  fighting,  Larry.     But  you  must  remem- 

B  1 


2        THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

ber  that  now  Captain  Larchmore  is  dead,  and  Lieu- 
tenant Ross  is  down  with  the  fever,  there  is  nobody 
to  command  our  company  but  me — unless,  of  course, 
Sergeant  Gilmore  takes  charge." 

"  Then  let  Gilmore  play  captain  for  a  while,  while 
you  take  the  rest  you  have  so  well  earned.  Why, 
you've  been  working  like  a  steam-engine  ever  since 
you  landed  in  Luzon.  Gilbert  Pennington  says  he 
never  dreamed  there  was  so  much  fight  in  you,  and 
predicts  that  you'll  come  out  a  brigadier  general  by 
the  time  Aguinaldo  and  his  army  are  defeated." 

"Well,  I  believe  in  pushing  things,"  responded 
Ben  Russell,  smiling  more  broadly  than  ever,  as  his 
mind  wandered  back  to  that  fierce  attack  on  Malolos, 
where  he  had  received  the  bullet  wound  in  the  side. 
"If  we  can  only  keep  the  insurgents  on  the  run, 
we'll  soon  make  them  throw  down  their  arms.  But 
tell  me  about  yourself,  Larry.  What  have  you  been 
doing  since  you  were  up  here  last  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  been  putting  in  most  of  my  time  on 
board  the  Olympia,  as  usual,"  replied  the  young  tar. 
"  About  all  we  are  doing  is  to  nose  around  any 
strange  vessels  that  come  into  the  harbor.  Since 
the  outbreak  in  Manila  last  February,  the  navy  has 
had  next  to  nothing  to  do,  and  I'm  thinking  strongly 


DISMAYING    NEWS  6 

of  asking  to  be  transferred  to  the  marines  at  Cavite, 
or  elsewhere." 

"  I  don't  blame  you."  Ben  Russell  paused.  "  Have 
you  heard  anything  more  about  Braxton  Bogg  and 
that  hundred  and  forty  thousand  dollars  he  said 
he  had  left  hidden  in  Benedicto  Lupez's  house  in 
Manila  ?  " 

A  shade  of  anxiety  crossed  Larry  Russell's  face. 
"Yes,  I've  heard  a  good  deal — more  than  I  wanted 
to,  Ben.  But  I  wasn't  going  to  speak  of  it,  for 
fear  of  adding  to  your  worry  and  making  you  feel 
worse." 

"Why,  Larry,  you  don't  mean —  Has  Braxton 
Bogg  escaped  from  jail  and  got  hold  of  the  money 
again  ?  " 

"No,  Braxton  Bogg  is  still  in  prison  at  Manila, 
although  the  Buffalo  bank  officials  are  about  to 
have  him  returned  to  the  United  States  for  trial. 
But  the  money  has  disappeared.  The  police  au- 
thorities at  Manila  went  to  Benedicto  Lupez's  house, 
to  find  it  locked  up  and  deserted.  They  broke 
in  and  made  a  search,  but  they  couldn't  find  a 
dollar,  either  in  Spanish  or  American  money,  al- 
though they  did  find  Braxton  Bogg's  valise  and 
a  dozen  or  more  printed  bands  of  the  Hearthstone 


4        THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Saving  Institution  —  the  kind  of  bands  they  put 
around  five-hundred-dollar  and  one-thousand-dollar 
packages  of  bills." 

"  Then  this  Spaniard  found  where  Bogg  had  hid- 
den the  money  and  made  off  with  it?" 

"  That  is  the  supposition ;  and  I  reckon  it's 
about  right,  too.  Of  course,  it  may  be  possible 
that  Braxton  Bogg  never  left  the  stolen  money  in 
Lupez's  house,  although  he  swears  he  did.  He 
says  Lupez  was  an  old  friend  of  his  and  was  going 
to  have  the  bills  changed  into  Spanish  money  for 
him,  so  that  Bogg  could  use  the  cash  without  being 
suspected  of  any  wrong-doing." 

"  It's  too  bad ;  and  just  as  we  thought  our  fifteen 
or  sixteen  thousand  dollars  of  the  amount  was 
safe.  I  wonder  what  the  bank  people  at  home 
will  say  now." 

"Of  course,  they  won't  like  it.  They  would 
rather  have  the  money  than  their  missing  cashier ; 
and  I  would  rather  have  the  money,  too  —  not  but 
that  Braxton  Bogg  ought  to  be  punished  for  his 
crimes." 

"Yes,  Larry,  Braxton  Bogg  deserves  all  the  law 
can  give  him,  for  the  depositors  in  the  Hearthstone 
Saving  Institution  were  mostly  poor,  hard-working 


DISMAYING   NEWS  5 

persons,  and  the  wrecking  of  the  bank  meant  un- 
told hardships  for  them."  The  wounded  brother 
sighed  deeply.  "  If  that  money  isn't  recovered, 
we'll  be  as  badly  off  as  we  were  when  we  first 
came  to  Manila,"  he  concluded. 

Ben  Russell  was  the  eldest  of  three  brothers, 
Walter  coming  next,  and  Larry  being  the  young- 
est. They  were  orphans,  and  at  the  death  of  their 
widowed  mother  had  been  left  in  the  care  of  their 
uncle,  Job  Dowling,  a  miserly  man  whose  chief  aim 
in  life  had  been  to  hoard  money,  no  matter  at 
what  cost,  so  long  as  his  method  was  within  the 
limit  of  the  law. 

The  boys  were  all  sturdy  and  had  been  used  to 
a  good  home,  and  Job  Dowling's  harsh  and  dicta- 
torial manner  cut  them  to  the  quick.  A  clash 
between  guardian  and  wards  had  resulted  in  the 
running  away  of  the  three  youths,  and  the  guardian 
had  tried  in  vain  to  bring  them  back.  Larry  had 
drifted  to  San  Francisco  and  shipped  on  a  mer- 
chantman bound  for  China.  He  had  become  a 
castaway  and  been  picked  up  by  the  Asiatic  Squad- 
ron of  the  United  States  Navy.  This  was  just  at 
the  time  of  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Spain, 
and  how  gallantly  the  young  tar  served  his  coun- 


0        THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

try  has  already  been  told  in  detail  in  "  Under 
Dewey  at  Manila." 

Ben  had  found  his  way  to  New  York,  and  Walter 
had  drifted  to  Boston.  After  several  adventures, 
the  war  fever  had  caught  both,  and  Ben  had  joined 
the  array  to  become  "  A  Young  Volunteer  in  Cuba," 
as  already  related  in  the  volume  of  that  name, 
while  Walter  had  joined  the  armored  cruiser  Brook- 
lyn and  participated  in  the  destruction  of  the  Spanish 
fleet  in  Santiago  Bay,  as  told  in  "  Fighting  in  Cuban 
Waters." 

While  the  three  boys  were  away  from  home,  Job 
Dowling  had  overreached  himself  by  trying  to  sell 
some  of  the  Russell  heirlooms  which  it  had  been 
willed  the  lads  should  keep.  The  heirlooms  had 
been  stolen  by  a  sharper,  and  it  had  cost  the  old  man 
a  neat  sum  of  money  to  get  them  back.  The  expe- 
rience made  him  both  a  sadder  and  a  wiser  man,  and 
from  that  time  on  his  manner  changed,  and  when 
the  boys  returned  from  the  war  they  found  that  he 
had  turned  over  a  new  leaf.  In  the  future  he  was 
perfectly  willing  that  they  should  "do  fer  them- 
selves," as  he  expressed  it. 

After  a  brief  stay  in  Buffalo,  Walter  had  left,  to 
rejoin  the  Brooklyn,  which  was  bound  for  a  cruise 


DISMAYING   NEWS  7 

to  Jamaica  and  elsewhere.  At  this  time  trouble 
began  to  break  out  between  the  United  States  troops 
in  the  Philippines  and  the  insurgents  who  had  been 
fighting  the  now-conquered  Spaniards,  and  it  looked 
as  if  another  fair-sized  war  was  at  hand.  This  being 
so,  Ben  lost  no  time  in  reenlisting  in  the  army, 
while  Larry  hastened  to  join  Admiral  Dewey's  flag- 
ship Olympia  once  more.  "  If  there's  to  be  any  more 
fighting,  I  want  to  be  right  in  it,"  was  what  the 
young  tar  said,  and  Ben  agreed  with  him.  How  they 
journeyed  to  Manila  by  way  of  the  Mediterranean, 
the  Suez  Canal,  and  the  Indian  Ocean,  has  already 
been  related  in  "Under  Otis  in  the  Philippines." 
Ben  was  at  this  time  second  lieutenant  of  Company 
D  of  his  regiment.  With  the  two  boys  went  Gilbert 
Pennington,  Ben's  old  friend  of  the  Rough  Riders, 
who  was  now  first  sergeant  of  Company  B  of  the 
same  regiment,  and  half  a  dozen  others  who  had 
fought  with  the  young  volunteer  in  Cuba.  On 
arriving  at  Manila  Larry  found  matters,  so  far  as  it 
concerned  his  ship,  very  quiet,  but  Ben  was  at  once 
sent  to  the  front,  and  participated  with  much  honor 
to  himself  in  the  campaign  which  led  to  the  fall  of 
Malolos,  a  city  that  was  at  that  time  the  rebel  capi- 
tal.    As  Company  D,  with  Ben  at  its  head  as  acting 


8        THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

captain,  had  rushed  down  the  main  street  of  the 
place,  an  insurgent  sharpshooter  had  hit  the  young 
commander  in  the  side,  and  he  had  fallen,  to  be 
picked  up  later  and  placed  in  the  temporary- 
hospital  which  was  opened  up  in  Malolos  as  soon 
as  it  was  made  certain  that  the  rebels  had  been 
thoroughly  cleaned  out.  Fortunately  for  the  young 
volunteer  the  wound,  though  painful,  was  not 
serious. 

Of  the  fifteen  thousand  to  twenty  thousand  dollars 
coming  to  the  Russell  brothers,  more  than  three- 
quarters  had  been  invested  by  Job  Dowling  in  the 
Heathstone  Saving  Institution,  a  Buffalo  bank  that 
had  promised  the  close-minded  man  a  large  rate  of 
interest.  The  cashier  of  this  bank,  Braxton  Bogg, 
had  absconded,  taking  with  him  all  the  available 
cash  which  the  institution  possessed.  Bogg  had  come 
to  Manila,  and  there  Ben  had  fallen  in  with  him 
several  times  and  finally  accomplished  his  arrest.  It 
was  found  that  Braxton  Bogg  had  very  little  money 
on  his  person,  and  the  guilty  cashier  finally  admitted 
that  he  had  left  his  booty  at  the  house  of  one  Bene- 
dicto  Lupez,  a  Spaniard  with  whom  he  had  boarded. 
As  all  the  Spaniards  in  Manila  were  being  closely 
watched  by  the  soldiers  doing  police  duty  in  the  dis- 


DISMAYING  NEWS  9 

turbed  city,  both  Ben  and  Larry  bad  supposed  that 
there  would  be  no  further  trouble  in  getting  posses- 
sion of  the  missing  money.  But  Benedicto  Lupez 
had  slipped  away  unperceived,  taking  the  stolen 
money  with  him,  and  the  Russell  inheritance  —  or  at 
least  the  larger  portion  of  it  —  was  as  far  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  boys  as  ever. 


CHAPTER    II 

SOMETHING    ABOUT    THE    SITUATION    AT     MALOLOS 

"  Do  you  know  if  the  Manila  authorities  have  any 
idea  where  this  Benedicto  Lupez  has  gone  to  ? " 
asked  Ben,  after  partaking  of  some  delicacies  which 
Larry  had  managed  to  obtain  for  him. 

"  They  think  he  got  on  a  small  boat  and  went  up 
the  Pasig  River.  He  is  supposed  to  have  a  brother 
living  in  Santa  Cruz  on  the  Laguna  de  Bay.  This 
brother  is  said  to  be  in  thorough  sympathy  with  the 
insurgents." 

"  In  that  case  he  is  out  of  our  reach  for  the  pres- 
ent, as  the  rebels,  so  I  understand,  have  a  pretty 
good  force  in  and  around  Santa  Cruz.  But  if  this 
Lupez  has  the  money,  I  can't  understand  how  he 
would  join  the  rebels.  They'll  try  to  get  the  cash 
from  him,  if  they  need  it." 

"  Perhaps  he  is  foolish  enough  to  think  that  they 
will  win  out  in  this  fight,  Ben.  You  know  how  hot- 
headed some  of  these  people  are.     They  haven't  any 

10 


THE  SITUATION   AT   MALOLOS  11 

idea  of  the  real  power  of  Uncle  Sam.  I  believe  if 
they  did  know,  they  would  submit  without  another 
encounter." 

"  It  would  be  best  if  they  did,  Larry,  for  now  that 
we  are  in  this  fight  we  are  bound  to  make  them 
yield.  Once  they  throw  down  their  arms,  I  feel  cer- 
tain our  country  will  do  what  is  fair  and  honest  by 
them." 

"It's  the  leaders  who  are  urging  the  ignorant 
common  people  on  —  I've  heard  more  than  one  of 
the  officers  say  so.  The  leaders  are  well  educated 
and  crafty,  and  they  can  make  the  masses  believe 
almost  anything.  Why,  just  before  I  came  away 
from  Manila  I  saw  a  dozen  or  more  Igorottes 
brought  in  —  tall,  strapping  fellows,  but  as  ignorant 
as  so  many  children.  They  seemed  to  be  dazed 
when  their  wounds  were  cared  for  and  they  were 
offered  food.  The  interpreter  said  they  thought 
they  would  be  massacred  on  the  spot  by  the  blood- 
thirsty Americanos,  and  they  had  a  lurking  suspicion 
that  they  were  being  cared  for  just  so  they  could  be 
sold  into  slavery." 

At  this  juncture  a  tall,  thoroughly  browned  sol- 
dier came  in,  wearing  the  uniform  of  a  first  lieu- 
tenant. 


12       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"Well,  Ben,  how  is  it  to-day,"  he  said  cheerily, 
as  he  extended  his  hand.  "And  how  are  you, 
Larry?"  And  he  likewise  shook  hands  with  the 
young  tar. 

"  I'm  hoping  to  get  out  soon,  Gilbert,"  answered 
Ben.     "  But  what's  this — a  lieutenant's  uniform  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I've  been  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  of 
Company  B,"  returned  Gilbert  Pennington.  "  I  tell 
you,  we  are  all  climbing  up  the  ladder,  and  Larry 
must  look  to  his  laurels.  I  understand  you  are  to 
be  made  permanent  captain  of  Company  D." 

"  But  where  is  First  Lieutenant  Crunger  of  your 
company  ?  " 

"Disappeared,"  and  the  young  Southerner's  face 
took  on  a  sober  look.  "  That's  the  only  thing  that 
mars  my  happiness  over  my  promotion.  After  the 
taking  of  Malolos,  Jack  Crunger  disappeared  utterly, 
and  we  haven't  been  able  to  find  hide  nor  hair  of 
him,  although  half  a  dozen  scouting  parties  have 
been  sent  out  and  the  stream  has  been  dragged  in 
several  places." 

"  Perhaps  he  was  taken  prisoner,"  suggested 
Larry.  "  I  heard  some  of  the  Kansas  and  Utah  men 
were  missing,  too." 

"  We  are  afraid  he  is  a  prisoner,  and  if  that  is  so, 


THE  SITUATION   AT  MALOLOS  13 

Aguinaldo's  men  have  probably  taken  him  up  to  San 
Fernando,  where  the  insurgents  are  setting  up  their 
new  capital." 

"  And  what  is  going  on  at  the  firing  line  ?  "  asked 
Ben,  eagerly.  "Are  they  following  up  the  rebels' 
retreat  ?  " 

"  I'm  sorry  to  say  no.  General  MacArthur  made 
a  reconnoissance  in  the  direction  of  Calumpit,  but  it 
amounted  to  little." 

"  I  understand  that  the  Charleston  has  sailed  up 
the  coast  and  is  going  to  shell  Dagupan,"  put  in 
Larry.  "Dagupan,  you  know,  is  the  terminus  of 
the  railroad  line." 

"  That's  good,"  came  from  the  sick  brother.  "  If 
we  can  get  a  footing  in  Dagupan,  we  can  work  the 
railroad  territory  from  both  ends."  But  this  was 
not  to  be,  as  coming  events  speedily  proved,  for  the 
shelling  of  the  city  by  the  warship  amounted  to  but 
little. 

Gilbert  Pennington  knew  all  about  the  Braxton 
Bogg  affair  and  listened  with  interest  to  what  Larry 
had  to  relate. 

"  It's  too  bad,"  he  declared.  "  I'd  like  to  give 
you  some  hope,  boys,  but  I'm  afraid  you'll  have  to 
whistle  for  your  fortune.     That  Spaniard  will  keep 


14       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

out  of  the  reach  of  the  Americans,  and  if  the  worst 
comes  to  the  worst,  he'll  slip  off  to  Spain  or  South 
America  ;  you  mark  my  words." 

Larry's  leave  of  absence  was  for  forty-eight  hours 
only,  and  soon  he  was  forced  to  bid  his  brother  and 
his  friend  good-by.  "  Now  take  good  care  of  your- 
self, Ben,"  he  said,  on  parting.  "  And  do  stay  here 
until  you  are  stronger.  Remember  that  a  wounded 
man  can't  stand  this  broiling  sun  half  as  well  as  one 
who  isn't  wounded,  and  even  the  strongest  of  them 
are  suffering  awfully  from  the  heat." 

"  I'll  make  him  stay,"  put  in  Gilbert,  with  mock 
severity.  "  Surgeon  Fallox  won't  give  him  clear- 
ance papers  until  I  tell  him,  for  he's  a  great  friend 
of  mine." 

"  I'm  going  to  have  a  word  with  Stummer  before 
I  go,"  added  Larry,  and  hurried  to  the  ward  in 
which  the  sturdy  German  volunteer  had  been  placed. 
He  found  the  member  of  Ben's  company  propped  up 
on  some  grass  pillows,  smoking  his  favorite  brier- 
root  pipe. 

"  Sure,  an'  I  vos  glad  to  see  you,  Larry,"  cried 
Carl,  his  round  face  broadening  into  a  smile  on 
beholding  his  visitor.  "Yah,  I  vos  doin'  putty 
goot,  und  I  peen  out  on   der  firin'  line  next  veek 


THE   SITUATION    AT   MALOLOS  15 

maype.  But  say,  I  vos  sorry  I  peen  shot  town 
pefore  we  got  to  Malolos.  I  vos  dink  sure  I  help 
clean  dose  repels  out." 

"Never  mind,  you  did  your  duty,  Carl.  I've 
heard  they  are  going  to  make  you  a  corporal  for 
your  bravery." 

"  Sure,  an'  that's  right,"  came  in  an  Irish  voice 
behind  the  pair,  and  Dan  Casey,  another  volunteer 
of  Ben's  company,  appeared.  "  It's  mesilf  as  has  the 
honor  av  saying  it  first,  too,  Carl.  You  are  to  be 
first  corporal,  Carl,  wid  meself  doin'  juty  as  second 
corporal." 

The  German  volunteer's  face  lit  up  for  a  second, 
then  fell  suspiciously.  "  Say,  Dan,  vos  dis  a  choke 
maype  ?  "  he  said  slowly. 

"  A  joke,  is  it  ?  "  burst  out  Casey.  "  Sure,  an'  do 
ye  think  I'd  be  afther  play  in'  a  joke  on  a  wounded 
man,  Carl  ?  No,  it's  no  joke.  We're  raised  to  the 
dignity  av  officers  be  the  forchunes  av  war  an'  the 
recommendations  av  our  superior,  Actin'  Captain 
Russell,  which  same  will  soon  be  our  captain  be 
commission,  Providence  an'  the  President  Willin'." 

"  Good  for  Ben  !  "  exclaimed  Larry.  "  You  both 
deserve  it."  And  after  a  few  words  more  he  hurried 
off,   leaving   the    two   old  soldiers  to   congratulate 


16       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

themselves  on  their  advancement  and  speculate 
upon  how  high  they  might  rise  in  the  service 
before  the  rebellion  should  close.  Casey  had  his 
eye  set  on  a  captaincy,  but  Stummer  said  he  would 
be  quite  content  if  any  commissioned  office  came 
his  way,  even  if  it  was  but  a  second-lieuten- 
ancy. 

Malolos  had  been  captured  on  Friday,  March  31, 
1899,  at  a  little  after  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
although  the  fighting  kept  up  until  nearly  night- 
fall. As  soon  as  the  rebels  were  thoroughly  cleaned 
out,  many  of  the  soldiers  were  called  upon  to  do 
duty  as  firemen,  for  a  large  portion  of  the  town 
was  in  flames.  While  the  fire  was  being  put  out, 
other  soldiers  went  about  stopping  the  Chinese 
from  looting  the  deserted  mansions.  The  coolies 
were  at  first  made  prisoners  and  put  under  guard 
in  the  public  park,  but  later  on  they  were  released 
and  set  to  work  to  clean  the  streets. 

As  Gilbert  had  said,  the  days  immediately  follow- 
ing the  fall  of  Malolos  were  not  of  special  activity. 
The  hard,  running  fight  along  the  railroad  through 
Caloocan,  Polo,  and  other  places,  had  all  but  ex- 
hausted the  army  under  General  MacArthur,  and 
when    the    insurgents'   capital   was   taken,    it  was 


THE  SITUATION  AT  MALOLOS  17 

felt  that  the  soldiers  had  earned  a  well-needed 
rest.  Moreover,  many  had  been  wounded  and  many- 
more  were  down,  suffering  from  the  heat  and  tropi- 
cal fever,  and  these  had  to  be  cared  for  in  the 
temporary  hospitals  established  at  various  points 
in  the  neighborhood.  In  the  meantime  the  rail- 
road was  repaired  and  Malolos  was  made  a  new 
base  for  supplies.  There  were  several  skirmishes 
in  the  neighborhood  north  and  northeast  of  Malo- 
los, and  in  these  the  rebels  were  compelled  to  fall 
back  still  further,  yet  the  outbreaks  amounted  to 
but  little. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Philippine  Commission  of 
the  United  States  issued  a  proclamation,  translated 
into  the  Spanish  and  Tagalog  languages,  calling 
upon  the  insurgents  to  throw  down  their  arms  and 
promising  them  good  local  government,  the  im- 
mediate opening  of  schools  and  courts  of  law,  the 
building  of  railroads,  and  a  civil  service  adminis- 
tration in  which  the  native  should  participate. 
This  proclamation  was  widely  distributed,  yet  it 
did  little  good;  for  the  common  people  of  the 
islands  were  given  to  understand  by  their  leaders 
that  the  Americans  did  not  mean  what  they  said, 
but  had  come  to  their  country  only  to  plunder 
o 


18       THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

ihem,  and  would  in  the  end  treat  them  even  worse 
than  had  the   Spaniards. 

It  was  no  easy  work  to  repair  the  railroad  run- 
ning from  Manila  to  Malolos  Station,  which  was 
some  distance  from  the  town  proper.  All  tools 
and  equipments  had  to  be  brought  up  from  Manila 
and  from  Cavite,  and  soon  the  engineering  corps 
found  themselves  harassed  by  some  rebels  in  the 
vicinity  of  Marilao  and  Guiguinto.  At  once  Gen- 
eral MacArthur  sent  out  a  force  to  clear  the  ground, 
and  several  sharp  attacks  ensued,  which  resulted 
in  the  loss  of  twenty-three  killed  and  wounded  on 
the  American  side,  and  double  that  number  to  the 
enemy.  In  the  end  the  rebels  fled  to  the  moun- 
tains to  the  eastward  and  to  Calumpit  on  the 
north. 

"  We  are  going  out  to-morrow,"  said  Gilbert, 
as  he  came  to  see  Ben  on  the  day  following  the 
engagements  just  mentioned.  "  General  Wheaton 
says  he  is  going  to  drive  the  rebels  straight  into 
the  mountains  —  and  I  reckon  he'll  keep  his  word." 

Ben  was  at  once  anxious  to  go  along,  but  this 
was  not  yet  to  be,  and  he  was  forced  to  sit  at  a 
window  of  the  hospital  and  see  his  regiment  march 
by   with   colors   flying   gayly  and  all    "  the   boys " 


THE   SITUATION   AT   MALOLOS  19 

eager  for  another  contest.  The  members  of  his 
own  company  gave  him  a  cheer  as  they  passed. 
"  You'll  soon  be  with  us  again,  captain,"  cried  one. 
"  We  won't  forget  you !  Hurrah  !  "  and  on  they 
marched,  with  a  lieutenant  from  Company  A  lead- 
ing them,  and  with  Gilbert  and  Major  Morris  and 
many  old  friends  with  the  regiment.  Ben  watched 
them  out  of  sight,  and  heaved  a  long  sigh  over 
the  fact  that  he  was  not  of  their  number.  But 
there  was  still  plenty  of  fighting  in  store  for  the 
young  captain,  and  many  thrilling  and  bitter  ex- 
periences in  the  bargain. 


CHAPTER  III 

AN  ADVENTURE  ON  THE  PASIG  RIVER 

"  Hurrah,  Luke  !  I  reckon  I  am  going  to  see 
a  bit  of  fighting  at  last." 

It  was  Larry  who  spoke,  as  he  rushed  up  to  his 
old  friend,  Luke  Striker,  now  one  of  the  gun  cap- 
tains on  board  the  Olympia.  It  was  the  day  after 
the  young  tar  had  paid  the  visit  to  Ben. 

"  Fighting  ?  where  ?  "  demanded  the  Yankee  gun- 
ner. "Do  you  mean  to  say  as  how  the  Olympia 
is  goin'  to  do  some  scoutin'  alongshore,  lad  ?  " 

"  No,  the  ship  is  going  to  remain  right  where 
she  is.  But  General  Lawton  is  going  to  take  an 
expedition  up  the  Pasig  River  from  San  Pedro 
Macati  to  the  Laguna  de  Bay,  and  some  of  the 
sailors  are  going  along  to  help  manage  the  cascos 
and  other  boats.  I  just  applied  for  a  place,  along 
with  Jack  Biddle,  and  we  both  got  in." 

"  And  why  can't  I  get  in  ? "  returned  Luke, 
eagerly.  "This  here  everlastin'  sitting  still,  doin' 
nuthin',  is  jest  a-killin'  of  me." 

20 


AN  ADVENTURE   ON  THE  PASIG  RIVER  21 

"You  might  apply,  although  there  are  already 
more  volunteers  than  they  want,"  answered  Larry. 
He  told  his  old  friend  how  to  make  the  necessary 
application,  and  soon  Luke  had  joined  the  expedi- 
tion ;  and  the  three  friends  hastened  ashore  and  on 
board  a  shallow  river  transport,  which  was  to  take 
them  and  a  number  of  others  up  to  San  Pedro 
Macati. 

The  brief  journey  to  the  latter-named  village  was 
without  incident.  Here  Larry  found  assembled  a 
body  of  about  thirteen  hundred  soldiers,  infantry 
and  cavalry,  and  with  them  two  hundred  picked 
sharpshooters,  and  two  guns  manned  by  members 
of  the  regular  artillery.  Owing  to  the  sickness 
of  the  commanding  general,  General  Lawton  took 
personal  charge  of  the  expedition. 

No  man  was  better  fitted  for  fighting  in  the 
Philippines  than  Major  General  Henry  W.  Lawton, 
who  had  but  lately  arrived  in  the  islands,  and  who 
was  destined  to  die  the  death  of  a  hero  upon  the 
firing  line.  Of  commanding  appearance,  being  six 
feet  three  inches  in  height  and  weighing  over  two 
hundred  pounds,  he  was  a  soldier  by  nature  and  a 
natural  leader  among  leaders.  He  had  fought  all 
through  the  great  Civil  War  with  much  credit  to 


22  THE   CAMPAIGN   OP   THE  JUNGLE 

himself,  and  it  was  he  who,  during  the  great 
Apache  Indian  uprising,  followed  the  crafty  Geron- 
imo  through  mountain  and  over  desert  for  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  fourteen  hundred  miles,  and  at  last 
caused  him  to  surrender.  For  this,  it  is  said,  the 
Indians  called  him  "  Man-who-gets-up-in-the-night- 
to-fight,"  and  they  respected  him  as  they  respected 
few  others. 

With  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Spain  Gen- 
eral Lawton  was  in  his  element,  and  when  the  army 
of  occupation  sailed  for  Santiago  he  was  with  them  ; 
and  it  was  this  same  Lawton  who  stormed  El  Caney 
and  captured  it,  as  related  in  "  A  Young  Volunteer 
in  Cuba."  When  General  Shafter  wanted  to  call 
Lawton  away  from  El  Caney,  after  the  troops  had 
been  fighting  many  hours,  Lawton  sent  him  word, 
"  I  can't  stop  —  I've  got  to  fight,"  and  went  for- 
ward again;  and  in  less  than  an  hour  the  Spanish 
flag  at  the  top  of  the  hill  was  down,  and  Old  Glory 
had  taken  its  place. 

General  Lawton  was  addressing  several  members 
of  his  staff  when  Larry  first  saw  him  at  San  Pedro 
Macati.  He  stood,  war  map  in  hand,  in  front  of 
the  river  landing,  a  conspicuous  figure  among  the 
half-dozen  that  surrounded  him. 


AN  ADVENTURE   ON   THE  PASIG   RIVER  23 

"  He's  a  fighter  —  you  can  see  that,"  whispered 
Larry  to  Luke,  who  stood  beside  him.  "  Just  look 
at  that  square-set  jaw.  He  won't  let  up  on  the 
rebels  an  inch." 

"  Jest  the  kind  we're  a-wantin'  out  here,"  re- 
sponded the  Yankee  gunner.  "  The  more  they 
force  the  fightin'  the  sooner  the  war  will  come  to 
an  end.  He's  coming  toward  us,"  he  added,  as 
General  Lawton  stepped  from  out  of  the  circle 
around  him. 

"You  are  from  the  Olympia,  I  believe?"  he  said, 
addressing  Luke. 

"Yes,  general,"  replied  the  old  gunner,  touching 
his  forelock,  while  Larry  also  saluted.  "  We  vol- 
unteered for  this  expedition." 

"You  look  all  right,  but  — "  General  Lawton 
turned  to  Larry.  "  I'm  afraid  you  are  rather 
young  for  this  sort  of  thing,  my  lad,"  he  went  on. 

"  I  hope  not,  sir,"  cried  Larry,  quickly.  "  I've 
seen  fighting  before." 

"He  was  in  the  thickest  of  it  when  we  knocked 
out  Admiral  Montojo,  general,"  interposed  Luke. 
"  You  can  trust  him  to  do  his  full  share,  come 
what  may." 

"  Oh,  if  he  was  in  that  fight  I  guess  he'll  be  all 


24       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

right,"  responded  General  Lawton,  with  a  grim  sort 
of  a  smile.  And  he  turned  away  to  overlook  the 
shipping  of  some  ammunition  on  one  of  the  tinclad 
gunboats  which  was  to  form  part  of  the  expedition. 

The  troops  were  speedily  on  the  cascos,  which 
were  to  be  towed  by  several  steam  launches  and 
escorted  by  three  tinclads.  Although  Larry  and 
his  friends  did  not  know  it  till  several  hours 
later,  the  destination  was  Santa  Cruz,  a  pretty 
town,  situated  on  a  slight  hill  overlooking  the 
placid  waters  of  the  Laguna  de  Bay.  The  gen- 
eral's plan  was  to  reach  the  lake  by  nightfall,  and 
steal  over  the  silent  waters  in  the  dark  until  the 
vicinity  of  Santa  Cruz  was  gained,  in  hopes  that 
the  garrison  might  be  caught  "napping,"  as  it  is 
called. 

For  the  time  being  the  sailors  were  separated 
one  from  another,  each  being  put  in  charge  of  a 
casco,  the  shallow  rowboats  being  joined  together 
in  strings  of  four  to  six  each,  and  pulled  along 
with  many  a  jerk  and  twist  by  the  puffing  little 
launches,  which  at  times  came  almost  to  a  stand- 
still. 

"  We  won't  reach  the  lake  by  sunrise,  and  I 
know  it,"  remarked  one   of   the  soldiers  to   Larry, 


AN  ADVENTURE   ON   THE  PASIG  RIVER  25 

wAo  stood  in  the  bow  of  the  casco  with  an  oar, 
ready  to  do  whatever  seemed  best  for  the  craft. 
"We've  a  good  many  miles  to  go  yet." 

At  that  instant  the  casco  ahead  ran  aground  in 
the  shallow  river,  and  Larry  had  all  he  could  do 
to  keep  his  craft  from  running  into  it.  As  the 
two  boats  came  stem  to  stern  one  of  the  soldiers 
in  the  craft  ahead  called  out  to  those  behind :  — 

"  Say,  Idaho,  do  you  know  where  we  are  bound  ?  " 

"Bound  for  Santa  Cruz,  so  I  heard  our  captain 
remark,"  answered  one  of  the  soldiers  in  Larry's 
boat.     " Got  any  tobacco,  North  Dakota?" 

"  Nary  a  pipeful,  wuss  luck,"  was  the  response ; 
and  then  the  line  straightened  out  as  the  casco 
ahead  cleared  herself  from  the  mud,  and  the  two 
boats  moved  apart  once  more. 

"  Are  we  really  going  to  Santa  Cruz  ?  "  questioned 
Larry,  as  soon  as  he  got  the  chance.  "I  thought 
we  were  bound  for  the  north  shore  of  the  lake." 

"  I  can  only  tell  you  what  I  heard  the  captain 
say,"  answered  the  soldier,  with  a  shrug  of  his 
shoulder.  "  General  Lawton  ain't  blowing  his  plans 
through  a  trumpet,  you  know." 

"  I  hope  we  do  go  to  Santa  Cruz,"  mused  Larry, 
as  he  thought  of  what  had  been  said  of  Benedicto 


26       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Lupez.  "  And  if  we  take  the  town  I  hope  we  take 
that  rascal,  too." 

The  best  laid  plans  are  often  upset  by  incidents 
trifling  in  themselves.  It  was  the  dry  season  of 
the  year,  and  the  Pasig  River,  usually  broad  and 
turbulent,  was  now  nothing  better  than  a  muddy, 
shallow  creek,  winding  and  treacherous  to  the  last 
degree.  As  night  came  on  the  expedition  found 
itself  still  in  the  stream  and  many  miles  from  the 
lake,  and  here  cascos  and  launches  ran  aground  and 
a  general  mix-up  ensued. 

"Hullo,  what  have  we  run  up  against  now?" 
growled  the  lieutenant  in  charge  of  the  soldiers 
in  Larry's  boat.  "  Can't  you  keep  out  of  the  mud, 
Jackie?" 

"I'm  doing  my  best,"  panted  the  youth,  as  he 
shoved  off  for  at  least  the  fourth  time.  "  With  the 
lines  forward  and  aft  pulling  one  way  and  another 
it's  rather  difficult  to  keep  to  the  channel,  especially 
in  the  dark." 

"  Oh,  you're  only  a  boy  and  don't  understand  the 
trick,"  growled  the  lieutenant,  who  was  in  a  bad 
humor  generally.  "  I  don't  see  why  they  let  you 
come  along." 

"  Our  boat  is  doing  about  as  well  as  any  of  them," 


AN   ADVENTURE   ON   THE   PASIG   RIVER  27 

answered  Larry,  bound  to  defend  himself.  "  Two 
boats  are  aground  to  our  left  and  three  behind  us." 

"  See  here,  don't  talk  back  to  me  !  You  tend  to 
business  and  keep  us  out  of  the  mud,"  roared  the 
lieutenant,  in  worse  humor  than  before. 

An  angry  retort  arose  to  Larry's  lips,  but  he 
checked  it.  "  A  quarrel  won't  do  any  good,"  he 
thought.  "  But  what  a  bulldog  that  fellow  is  — 
as  bad  as  Quartermaster  Yarrow,  who  caused  me 
so  much  trouble  on  the  trip  out  here." 

On  went  the  cascos  once  more,  around  a  tortuous 
bend  and  past  a  bank  fringed  with  bushes  and 
reeds.  The  mosquitoes  were  numerous,  likewise 
the  flies,  and  everybody  began  to  wish  the  journey 
at  an  end. 

"We'd  better  make  a  charge  on  the  insects," 
growled  one  old  soldier.  "  They  are  worse  nor  the 
rebels  ten  times  over,"  and,  just  then,  many  were 
inclined  to  agree  with  him.  Tobacco  was  scarce  or 
smoking  would  have  been  far  more  plentiful  than 
it  was. 

Midnight  came  and  went,  and  found  the  expedi- 
tion still  some  distance  from  the  lake.  A  few  of 
the  soldiers  were  sleeping,  but  the  majority  remained 
wide  awake,  fighting  off   the  marshland  pests,  and 


28  THE   CAMPAIGN   OP  THE  JUNGLE 

aiding  in  keeping  the  cascos  and  launches  from  run- 
ning high  and  dry  in  the  mud.  Had  it  not  been 
for  the  tinclads  it  is  doubtful  if  the  Laguna  de  Bay- 
would  have  been  gained  at  all  by  more  than  half 
of  the  craft  composing  the  turnout.  But  they  came 
to  the  rescue  time  and  again,  and  so  the  expedition 
crawled  along,  until,  at  four  o'clock,  the  clear  sheet 
of  water  beyond  was  sighted. 

They  were  making  the  last  turn  before  the  lake 
was  gained  when  the  casco  ahead  of  that  steered  by 
Larry  went  aground  once  more,  dragging  Larry's 
craft  behind  it.  The  youth  did  all  he  could  to 
back  water,  but  in  vain,  and  once  more  they  heard 
the  unwelcome  slish  of  mud  under  their  bottom. 

"  Now  you've  done  it  again  !  "  howled  the  lieuten- 
ant, leaping  up  from  his  seat.  "  You  numskull  ! 
give  me  that  oar."  And  he  tried  to  wrench  the 
blade  from  Larry's  hand. 

"  It  was  not  my  fault,"  began  the  youth,  when 
the  officer  forced  the  blade  from  him  and  hurled 
him  back  on  one  of  the  soldiers.  Then  the  lieu- 
tenant tried  to  do  some  poling  for  himself,  and  got 
the  oar  stuck  so  tightly  in  the  mud  that  he  could 
not  loosen  it. 

Burning  with  indignation,  Larry  felt  himself  go 


AN  ADVENTURE   ON   THE  PASIG   RIVER  29 

down  in  a  heap,  and  at  once  tried  to  get  up  again. 
At  the  same  time  the  soldier  beneath  him  gave  him 
a  shove  which  pitched  him  several  feet  forward. 
He  landed  up  against  the  lieutenant  with  consider- 
able force,  and  in  a  twinkle  the  officer  went  over- 
board, head  first,  into  the  water  and  mud  where  the 
casco  had  stuck  fast. 


CHAPTER   IV 

THE  GAP   IN  THE   FIRING   LINK 

"  Hullo,  Lieutenant  Horitz  has  fallen  overboard ! " 

"  Pull  him  out  of  the  mud,  before  he  smothers  or 
drowns  ! " 

Such  were  some  of  the  cries  which  arose  among 
the  soldiers  that  rilled  the  casco.  Then  Larry  was 
shoved  back,  and  two  of  them  caught  hold  of  the 
legs  of  the  man  who  had  disappeared,  as  for  an 
instant  they  showed  themselves.  There  was  a  "  long 
pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pull  altogether,"  and  up 
came  the  lieutenant,  minus  his  hat  and  with  his  face 
and  neck  well  plastered  with  the  black  ooze  of  the 
river  bottom. 

For  a  moment  after  he  sank  on  the  seat  that  was 
vacated  to  receive  him,  he  could  not  speak.  One 
of  the  soldiers  handed  him  a  handkerchief,  and  with 
this  he  proceeded  to  clear  his  eyes  and  ears,  at  the 
same  time  puffing  vainly  to  get  back  his  breath.  At 
last  he  cleared  his  throat  and  glared  angrily  at 
Larry. 

30 


THE   GAP   IN   THE   FIRING   LINE  3* 

a  You  —  you  young  whelp  !  "  he  fumed.  "  You  — . 
you  knocked  me  over  on  purpose  !  " 

"  No,  sir,  I  did  not,"  answered  the  young  tar, 
promptly.  "  One  of  the  soldiers  shoved  me  up 
against  you." 

"  I  don't  believe  you,"  roared  the  unreasonable 
one,  as  he  continued  to  clean  himself  off.  "You 
shall  pay  dearly  for  this  assault,  mark  me  !  " 

"  Didn't  you  shove  me  ?  "  asked  Larry,  appealing 
to  one  of  the  soldiers. 

"  I  shoved  you  off  of  my  neck,  yes,"  answered  the 
enlisted  man.  "But  I  didn't  throw  you  into  Lieu- 
tenant Horitz.     You  did  that  yourself." 

"  Of  course  he  did  it  himself,"  said  another  soldier, 
who  did  not  wish  to  see  his  tent-mate  get  into  trou- 
ble. "  You  had  it  in  for  the  lieutenant  ever  since 
he  first  spoke  to  you." 

"  I  shall  report  you  the  first  chance  I  get,"  growled 
Lieutenant  Horitz.  "  I  reckon  you'll  find  that 
General  Lawton  won't  allow  any  such  disgraceful 
conduct  while  he  is  in  command." 

"  What's  the  row  back  there  ?  "  came  out  of  the 
darkness.  "  Hurry  up  and  get  afloat,  or  we'll  cut 
the  rope  and  leave  you  to  shift  for  yourselves." 

"  Our  officer  was  just  shoved  overboard,"  answered 


32       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Snapper,  the  soldier  who  had  given  Larry  the 
unlucky  push.     "And  we've  lost  our  oar." 

"No,  I  have  the  oar,"  put  in  Larry,  making  a 
clutch  into  the  water  for  the  article  just  as  it  was 
about  to  float  out  of  reach.  He  leaped  into  the  bow 
once  more,  and  began  to  work  vigorously,  and  in  a 
few  seconds  they  were  again  afloat. 

Fortunately  for  the  lieutenant  the  night  was  warm, 
so  he  suffered  no  inconvenience  so  far  as  his  wet 
clothing  was  concerned.  But  it  was  no  mean  task 
to  clean  both  himself  and  his  uniform,  and  what  to 
do  for  another  hat  he  did  not  know.  He  would  have 
taken  Larry's  headgear  had  that  article  been  anyway 
suitable,  but  it  was  not. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  Larry  felt  thoroughly  ill 
at  ease.  That  there  was  trouble  ahead  went  without 
saying,  and  he  half  wished  himself  safe  back  on  the 
Olympia.  "  He'll  make  out  the  worst  case  he  can 
against  me,"  he  thought.  "  And  his  men  will  back 
him  up  in  all  he  says."  Yet  he  felt  that  he  was 
guilty  of  no  intentional  wrong-doing,  and  resolved 
to  stand  up  for  himself  to  the  best  of   his  ability. 

The  lieutenant  had  learned  one  lesson  —  that  he 
knew  no  more  about  handling  the  casco  than  did 
Larry,  if  as  much,  and,  consequently,  he  offered  no 


THE  GAP   IN  THE   FIKING  LINE  3S 

more  suggestions  as  to  how  to  run  the  craft.  But  he 
kept  muttering  under  his  breath  at  the  youth,  and 
Larry  felt  that  he  was  aching  to  "get  square." 

It  was  early  dawn  when  the  casco  turned  into  the 
lake  proper.  As  the  sun  came  up  it  shed  its  light 
on  one  of  the  prettiest  sheets  of  water  Larry  had 
ever  beheld.  The  lake  was  as  smooth  as  a  millpond, 
and  surrounded  with  long  stretches  of  marshland 
and  heavy  thickets  of  tropical  growth.  Fish  were 
plentiful,  as  could  be  seen  by  gazing  into  the  clear 
depths  below,  and  overhead  circled  innumerable 
birds.  Villages  dotted  the  lake  shore  at  various 
points,  but  these  the  expedition  gave  a  wide  berth, 
setting  out  directly  for  Santa  Cruz,  still  several  miles 
distant,  behind  the  hill  previously  mentioned. 

If  it  had  been  General  Lawton's  intention  to 
attack  the  town  from  in  front  in  the  dark,  that  plan 
had  now  to  be  changed,  and  the  expedition  turned 
toward  shore  at  a  point  at  least  three  miles  from  the 
town  proper. 

But  even  here  the  rebels  could  be  seen  to  be  on  the 
alert,  and  a  rapid-firing  gun  was  put  into  action  and 
directed  along  the  lake  front.  The  gun  was  manned 
by  some  men  from  the  N'apadan,  and  did  such  won- 
derful execution  that  soon  the  insurgent  sentries 
p 


34       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

were  seen  to  be  fleeing  toward  the  town  at  utmost 
speed.  Then  a  small  detachment  from  some  brush 
also  retreated,  and  the  coast  was  clear. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  land,  as  the  water  here 
was  shallow  and  the  cascos  had  to  be  poled  along 
over  the  soft  mud.  The  sharpshooters  were  the  first 
ashore,  and  they  soon  cleared  a  spot  for  the  others. 
But  a  few  of  the  rebels  were  "  game,"  and  as  a  result 
one  man  was  wounded,  although  not  seriously.  The 
cavalry  remained  on  the  boats,  to  land  closer  to  the 
hill  later  on. 

The  landing  had  consumed  much  valuable  time, 
and  it  was  now  after  noon.  A  hasty  meal  was  had, 
and  then  the  column  moved  off,  spreading  out  in  fan 
shape  as  it  advanced,  the  sharpshooters  to  the  front 
and  the  rear,  and  a  number  of  special  scouts  on 
the  alert  to  give  the  first  warning  of  danger.  Soon 
the  scouts  in  front  came  back  with  the  news  that  the 
insurgents  were  forming  in  front  of  our  troops  and 
that  Santa  Cruz  and  its  garrison  seemed  thoroughly 
aroused  to  the  danger  which  threatened. 

"  Forward,  boys  !  "  was  the  cry.  "  The  more  time 
we  give  them,  the  better  they  will  be  prepared  to 
meet  us.  Forward  without  delay ! "  And  the 
"  boys  "  went  forward  with  a  wild  hurrah,  for  every- 


THE   GAP   EST  THE  FIRING   LINE  35 

thing  promised  well,  and  they  were  much  pleased  to 
have  General  Lawton  lead  them,  even  though  they 
had  no  fault  to  find  with  their  other  commanders. 

The  first  skirmish  began  on  the  extreme  right. 
Some  rebels  had  found  their  way  to  a  hill  behind 
the  town,  and  they  began  the  attack  from  a  patch 
of  wild  plantains,  thickly  interlaced  with  tropical 
vines.  Up  the  hill  after  them  dashed  the  right 
wing,  and  the  sharp  rattle  of  musketry  resounded 
upon  both  sides  for  the  best  part  of  half  an  hour. 
Then  the  rebels  broke  and  ran,  and  in  their  eager- 
ness our  troops  followed  them  until  a  point  less 
than  two  miles  from  Santa  Cruz  was  gained.  Here 
the  insurgents  scattered,  and  could  not  be  rounded 
up,  and  the  right  wing  fell  back,  to  unite  with 
the  main  body  of  the  expedition.  But  the  woods 
were  thick,  the  ground  new  to  the  Americans,  and 
in  the  gathering  darkness  it  was  several  hours  be- 
fore the  firing  line  was  compact  once  more.  Then 
the  expedition  rested  for  the  night. 

Larry  had  landed  with  the  soldiers,  and,  as  the 
other  cascos  came  up,  he  was  speedily  joined  by 
Luke  Striker  and  Jack  Biddle. 

"  I  wonder  what  part  we  air  to  take  in  this 
coniin'  mix-up  ?  "  queried  Luke. 


36       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"Like  as  not  they  will  leave  us  here  to  mind 
the  boats,"  replied  Larry.  "I  can  tell  you  that 
I  am  rather  sorry  I  came  along,"  he  added  soberly. 

"  Sorry  !  "  ejaculated  Jack  Biddle.  "  Surely, 
Larry,  ye  ain't  afraid  —  " 

"No,  I'm  not  afraid,"  interrupted  the  youth. 
And  then  he  told  of  the  scene  in  the  casco,  and 
of  what  Lieutenant  Horitz  had  said.  When  he 
had  finished,  Jack  cut  a  wry  face  and  Luke  uttered 
a  low  whistle. 

"You've  run  up  agin  a  rock  fer  sartin,  Larry," 
remarked  Luke.  "I  reckon  he  can  make  things 
look  putty  bad  for  ye  if  he's  of  a  mind  to  do  it." 

"Keep  quiet  an'  say  nuthin',  an'  he  may  forgit 
all  about  it,"  was  Jack  Biddle's  advice. 

The  boats  having  been  cared  for,  the  sailors  fol- 
lowed the  soldiers  through  the  field  and  into  the 
woods.  All  told  there  were  twenty-five  jackies, 
and  by  common  consent  they  formed  themselves 
into  a  company  of  their  own,  with  a  petty  officer 
named  Gordell  at  their  head.  Gordell  went  to 
General  Lawton  for  directions,  and  was  told  to 
follow  the  volunteers  until  given  further  orders. 
Each  sailor  was  armed  with  a  pistol  and  a  ship's 
cutlass. 


THE   GAP  IN  THE  FIKING  LINE  37 

The  march  was  a  hot  one,  but  Larry  was  now 
getting  accustomed  to  the  tropics  and  hardly 
minded  this.  The  little  company  advanced  with 
caution,  nobody  desiring  to  run  into  an  ambush. 
Soon  the  firing  on  the  right  reached  their  ears,  and 
they  knew  that  some  sort  of  an  engagement  was  on. 
Then  came  a  halt,  and  presently  the  darkness  of 
night  fell  over  them;  and  they  went  into  camp  be- 
side a  tiny  watercourse  flowing  into  a  good-sized 
stream  which  separated  the  expedition  from  the 
outskirts  of  Santa  Cruz. 

Supper  disposed  of,  Larry  and  Luke  Striker  took 
a  stroll  forward,  to  find  out  what  the  firing  line 
was  really  doing  and  if  the  insurgents  were  in 
front  in  force.  "We  may  have  a  bigger  fight  on 
hand  nor  any  of  us  expect,"  suggested  the  old 
Yankee  gunner. 

"You  can  trust  General  Lawton  not  to  run  his 
head  into  the  lion's  mouth,"  returned  Larry.  "A 
soldier  who  has  whipped  the  Apache  Indians  isn't 
going  to  suffer  any  surprise  at  the  hands  of  these 
Tagals,  no  matter  how  wily  they  are." 

"Don't  be  too  sure  o'  thet,  Larry.  The  best 
on  us  make  mistakes  sometimes,"  answered  the 
Yankee,  with  a,  grave  shake  of  his  head.    But  Gen- 


38       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

eral  Lawton  made  no  mistake,  as  we  shall  speedily 
see. 

As  has  been  said,  the  right  wing  had  become 
detached  from  the  main  body  of  the  expedition 
during  the  fight  on  the  hill  back  of  Santa  Cruz. 
The  firing  line  of  this  wing  had  not  yet  united 
with  the  centre,  consequently  there  was  a  gap  of 
over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  the  front.  Had  the 
Tagalogs  known  of  this  they  might  have  divided 
the  expedition  and  surrounded  the  right  wing  com- 
pletely, but  they  did  not  know,  so  the  temporary 
separation  did  no  damage  to  the  soldiers.  But 
that  gap  brought  a  good  bit  of  trouble  to  Larry 
and  his  friend. 

On  and  on  went  the  pair,  down  a  narrow  road 
lined  on  either  side  with  palms  and  plantains  and 
sweet-smelling  shrubs.  From  the  hollows  the  frogs 
croaked  dismally,  and  here  and  there  a  night  bird 
uttered  its  lonely  cry,  but  otherwise  all  was  silent. 

"Humph,  they've  pushed  the  firing  line  ahead 
further  than  I  thought,"  remarked  Luke,  after 
half  a  mile  had  been  covered.  "  Here's  a  small  river. 
Do  ye  reckon  as  how  they  went  over  thet,  lad  ?  " 

"  It  must  be  so,"  answered  the  boy.  "  Certainly, 
we  haven't  been  challenged." 


THE   GAP   IN   THE   FIRING   LINE  39 

Crossing  the  rude  bridge,  they  found  that  the 
road  made  a  sharp  turn  to  the  southward.  Beyond 
was  a  nipa  hut,  back  of  which  burnt  a  small  camp- 
fire.     Both  hut  and  fire  seemed  deserted. 

"  They  have  cleaned  the  rebels  out  from  there," 
said  Larry.  "  Come  ahead,"  and  they  continued 
on  their  way,  little  dreaming  of  the  trap  into 
which  they  were  walking. 

The  nipa  hut  passed,  they  came  to  a  tall  fence 
built  of  bamboo  stalks,  sharpened  at  the  tops  and 
bound  with  native  rope-vine.  Farther  on  still 
were  a  dozen  shelters,  and  here  could  be  seen  sev- 
eral women  and  children  sitting  in  the  doorways. 

"  Perhaps  they  can  give  us  some  information," 
said  Larry,  as  they  approached  the  natives.  As 
soon  as  they  saw  the  Americans  the  children 
shrieked  dismally  and  rushed  out  of  sight.  But 
the  women  held  their  ground,  feeling  that  they 
would  not  be  molested. 

"See  anything  of  our  soldiers?"  demanded  Luke 
of  the  women,  but  one  and  all  shook  their  heads. 
"No  Englees  talk,"  mumbled  one,  meaning  they 
did  not  understand  or  speak  our  tongue. 

The  natives'  manner  made  Larry  suspicious,  and 
he  glanced  around  hurriedly.     As  he  did  so  there 


40       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

was  a  click  of  a  trigger  from  behind  the  bamboo 
fence. 

'■'•Americanos  surrender,"  came  in  bad  English 
from  back  of  the  fence.  "  Surrender  quick,  or 
we  shoot  both  dead  on  the  spot  I " 


CHAPTER  V 

AN  ENCOUNTER   AT  THE   RIVER 

To  say  that  both  Larry  and  his  old  friend  were 
surprised  at  the  sudden  demand  which  had  been 
made  upon  them  would  be  to  put  the  truth  very 
mildly.  They  had  been  of  the  firm  belief  that  the 
insurgents  had  retreated,  and  to  find  themselves 
in  a  "reg'lar  hornet's  nest,"  as  Luke  afterward 
expressed  it,  dumfounded  them. 

"  Do  you  surrender,  or  not  ? "  came  the  words, 
after  an  awkward  pause. 

It  was  dark  about  the  huts,  yet  not  so  dim  but 
that  they  could  see  the  barrels  of  several  Mauser 
rifles  thrust  toward  them.  The  sight  made  Larry 
shiver,  for  he  had  never  before  met  the  rebel  sol- 
diers at  such  close  quarters. 

"  We're  in  a  box,"  muttered  Luke.  "  Somethin' 
wrong  somewhar  —  our  soldiers  didn't  come  this 
way,  ye  kin  reckon  on  thet." 

"  I  move  we  run  for  it,"  whispered  Larry.  "  If 
41 


42       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

they  take  us  prisoners  — "  He  did  not  finish,  but 
his  silence  was  more  impressive  than  mere  words 
would  have  been.  He  had  heard  many  stories  of 
terrible  cruelty  practised  by  the  insurgents  on 
their  prisoners,  and  whether  these  tales  were  true 
or  not,  they  had  had  their  full  effect  on  both  him 
and  his  shipmates. 

"Where  are  ye  goin'  to  run  to,  lad?  We  don't 
want  to  run  an'  be  shot  down  in  cold  blood." 

"  Get  in  front  of  me  and  take  to  the  woods 
opposite,  Luke,'  was  the  hurried  reply.  "Here 
goes  !     I  don't  think  they'll  fire  now  !  " 

As  Larry  concluded,  he  sprang  to  the  side  of 
one  of  the  native  women  standing  nearest  to  him. 
Before  the  woman  could  resist,  he  had  her  in  his 
arms  behind  him  and  was  running  off  as  speedily 
as  the  weight  of  his  living  load  permitted.  See- 
ing this,  Luke  scuttled  off  before,  and  away  they 
went  for  the  woods,  not  twenty  yards  distant. 

A  howl  arose  on  the  night  air,  and  one  gun 
went  off,  but  the  bullet  did  no  damage.  Then  the 
leader  of  the  rebels  was  heard,  calling  to  his  men 
not  to  fire,  for  fear  of  killing  the  woman,  who 
chanced,  by  good  luck,  to  be  a  close  relative ;  for 
the  soldiers  behind  the  bamboo  fence  were  part  of 


AN   ENCOUNTER   AT   THE   RIVER  43 

a  home  guard  brought  out  that  very  afternoon  to 
defend  the  road  and  Santa  Cruz. 

The  woman  on  Larry's  back  shrieked  in  terror 
and  clawed  at  his  neck  and  hair,  causing  him 
considerable  pain.  But  he  held  his  burden  tight 
until  the  shelter  of  the  trees  was  gained,  when  he 
let  her  slip  to  the  ground  and  darted  after  Luke, 
who  was  running  with  all  the  speed  of  his  lanky 
limbs. 

It  was  pitch  dark  in  the  jungle,  and  the  pair 
had  not  advanced  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
when  they  found  themselves  going  down  into  a 
hollow  which  both  felt  must  lead  to  a  dangerous 
swamp,  or  morass,  for  the  island  of  Luzon  is  full 
of  such  fever-breeding  places. 

"  Go  slow,  lad,"  whispered  Luke,  as  he  caught 
Larry  by  the  hand.  "  We  don't  want  to  land  out 
o'  the  fryin'-pan  into  the  fire." 

They  both  became  silent  and  listened  attentively. 
At  a  distance  they  heard  the  insurgents  coming 
on  slowly  and  cautiously,  spreading  out  as  they 
advanced.  Probably  they  knew  the  topography  of 
the  country  and  meant  to  surround  the  hollow 
completely. 

"  They  are  coming,  that's  sure,"  whispered  Larry, 


44  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

and  clutched  his  pistol.  "I  wonder  if  we  can't 
get  away  from  them  by  climbing  a  tree." 

"We  can  —  if  they  ain't  a-f  olio  win'  the  trail 
putty  close,"  answered  his  companion. 

They  began  to  search  around  for  a  tree,  and  in 
doing  so  came  to  several  large  rocks,  much  over- 
grown with  trailing  vines.  There  was  an  opening 
between  two  of  the  rocks,  and  Luke  slipped  into 
this,  hauling  Larry  after  him. 

"Jest  as  good  as  a  tree,  an'  mebbe  better,"  he 
whispered,  as  he  rearranged  the  vines  over  the 
opening. 

The  hiding-place  was  not  a  large  one,  and  Larry 
felt  very  much  like  a  sardine  in  a  box  as  he 
crouched  close  to  his  Yankee  friend.  The  vines 
covered  the  opening  completely,  yet  they  remained 
on  guard,  each  with  his  finger  on  the  trigger  of 
his  weapon,  resolved,  if  the  worst  came  to  the 
worst,  to  fight  the  best  they  knew  how  before 
surrendering. 

The  Filipinos  were  evidently  puzzled,  for  they 
had  come  to  a  halt  and  made  not  the  slightest 
noise.  Possibly  they  were  listening  for  some  sound 
from  those  they  were  pursuing,  but  if  so,  none 
came,  for  Luke  clapped  his  hand   warningly   over 


AN  ENCOUNTER   AT   THE   BJVER  45 

Larry's  mouth,  and  the  youth  understood  and  re- 
mained as  motionless  as  a  statue. 

Five  minutes  went  by  —  to  the  boy  they  seemed 
an  age  —  and  then  the  rebels  came  on  again,  halt- 
ing every  few  steps  to  make  sure  of  their  ground. 
Three  passed  close  to  the  rocks,  so  close  in  fact 
that  Larry  and  Luke  could  have  shot  them  down 
without  trouble.  But  this  would  have  given  the 
alarm  to  the  entire  party,  and  neither  the  boy  nor 
the  man  wanted  to  shed  blood  unless  it  became 
absolutely  necessary. 

At  last  the  Filipinos  had  left  the  rocks  behind 
and  were  circling  around  the  swamp  at  the  bottom 
of  the  hollow.  "Now  is  the  time  to  give  'em  the 
slip,"  whispered  Luke,  and  crawled  once  more  into 
the  open.  Larry  followed,  and  both  hurried  away 
from  the  vicinity  with  all  possible  speed.  It  was 
the  last  seen  or  heard  of  the  party  who  had  so 
unexpectedly  blockaded  their  progress  on  the  high- 
way. 

The  jungle  at  the  top  of  the  hill  was  as  dense 
as  that  below,  and  the  pair  had  not  proceeded  far 
before  they  found  themselves  in  a  veritable  tangle 
of  bushes  and  vines.  The  bushes  were  of  the 
thorny  kind  peculiar  to  this  locality,  and  more  than 


46       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

once  Larry  found  himself  caught  and  held  as  if  in 
a  vice. 

"  My  clothing  will  be  in  tatters  if  this  keeps  on," 
he  panted,  as  he  cut  himself  loose  with  difficulty. 
"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  thicket  !  " 

"We  missed  it  when  we  started  out  to-night," 
returned  Luke,  gravely.  "  We've  gone  astray  o' 
the  firm'  line  and  everything  else,  to  my  way 
o'  lookin'  at  it." 

Bad  as  was  their  situation,  they  felt  it  would  be 
worse  with  the  coming  of  daylight.  "  We  must 
get  out  of  the  enemy's  territory  before  the  sun 
rises,'  said  Larry.  "  If  we  don't,  we'll  have  no 
show  at  all." 

But  getting  out  was  not  easy;  indeed,  the  farther 
they  advanced,  the  more  difficult  did  it  seem  to 
become,  until  both  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
they  had  missed  their  bearings  entirely,  and  were 
lost.  "And  can't  even  see  the  stars  to  read  'em," 
groaned  Luke.  "Larry,  we  might  as  well  make 
the  best  of  it,  and  wait  for  daylight." 

But  the  youth  demurred  and  insisted  on  going 
ahead.  "  We're  bound  to  strike  something  soon," 
he  said,  and  did,  immediately  afterward.  It  was  a 
log  lying  on  the  edge  of  an  incline,  and  down  he 


f«wr)miiir-T^ii"    • 

,        '       -                 .      ,,              ' 

W^r        ■■-*■- 

r 

.^■Sf^l©! 

r^H 

1    >        > 

(A 

t     #i  m^ 

'T-  jf.i 

-•    -33?    /'^    • 

w                /mm 
I 

W    ~* 

4; 

WmmWmm^Jr 

J,  If' 

"Alto!"  came  the  sudden  cry. — Page  47. 


AN   ENCOUNTER   AT  THE  RIVER  47 

pitched,  and  log  and  lad  rolled  over  and  over,  with 
Luke  following,  to  bring  up  with  a  loud  splash  in 
the  river  below. 

The  force  of  their  fall  took  them  under  the  sur- 
face of  the  stream,  and  in  the  struggle  to  save 
themselves  both  lost  their  cutlasses.  But,  as  old 
readers  know,  each  could  swim  well,  and  they 
speedily  came  up  and  struck  out  for  the  most 
available  landing-place,  which  was  on  the  opposite 
bank. 

"Alto!"  came  the  sudden  cry,  in  Spanish. 
"  Halt ! "  And  now  a  sentry  appeared  from  behind 
a  pile  of  cord-wood  lying  but  a  short  distance 
away. 

"  Discovered  again,"  muttered  Luke,  and  felt  for 
his  pistol.     "  Soaked  ! "  he  muttered,  in  disgust. 

The  cry  of  the  rebel  on  guard  had  given  the 
alarm  to  several  others,  and  in  a  twinkling  Larry 
and  the  old  Yankee  tar  found  themselves  con- 
fronted by  an  even  more  determined  crowd  than 
that  encountered  on  the  road.  With  the  water 
behind  them,  escape  was  out  of  the  question,  for  a 
jump  back  into  the  river  would  have  courted  a 
fire  which  must  have  resulted  in  death. 

"  Americanos  /"  muttered  one  of  the  rebels,  draw- 


48       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

ing  closer.  "  And  sailors,  not  soldiers,"  he  added, 
in  his  native  tongue.    "Where  did  you  come  from?" 

Larry  and  Luke  shook  their  heads.  "  Talk 
United  States  and  we'll  speak  to  you,"  said  the 
old  sailor. 

"You  gif  up?"  demanded  an  under  officer,  as 
he  pushed  his  way  forward,  with  his  pistol  covering 
Larry's  heart. 

"  Ain't  nuthin'  else  to  do,  I  reckon,"  replied  Luke, 
before  Larry  could  answer.  He  was  afraid  the  boy 
might  be  rash  and  try  running  away  again. 

"Throw  down  de  pistoles,  den,"  muttered  the 
Tagal,  with  an  ugly  frown. 

Down  went  the  weapons  on  the  ground,  and 
then  two  of  the  rebels  advanced  to  search  them. 
They  found  nothing  of  special  value  excepting  the 
pair's  jack-knives,  and  these  were  confiscated  and 
turned  over  to  the  officer  in  command. 

The  prisoners  were  then  told  to  march  up  the 
river  shore  to  a  road  leading  into  Santa  Cruz. 
With  their  hands  bound  tightly  behind  them,  they 
were  placed  in  charge  of  a  detail  of  four  Filipinos, 
who  were  instructed  to  take  them  without  delay 
before  the  general  in  charge  of  the  city's  defences. 

"  They   may    hold    information    of   importance," 


Ail  ENCOUNTER   AT   THE   RIVER  49 

said  the  under  officer.  "Do  not  delay  a  minute;" 
and  off  went  the  crowd,  the  soldiers  prodding  the 
prisoners  with  their  bayonets  whenever  Larry  and 
Luke  did  not  walk  fast  enough  to  suit  them. 

The  course  taken  was  through  a  narrow  and 
exceedingly  dirty  street.  It  was  after  midnight, 
yet  the  expected  attack  of  the  Americans  had  kept 
all  the  inhabitants  awake.  The  prisoners  were 
jeered  at  repeatedly,  and  at  one  point  were  covered 
with  a  shower  of  mud  and  stale  vegetables.  The 
onslaught  might  have  been  more  serious  had  not 
the  soldiers  interfered. 

"  Get  back,  you  dogs,"  shouted  the  leader,  a  little 
Tagal  scarcely  five  feet  in  height,  but  with  an  air 
of  magnificent  importance.  "These  men  are  to 
go  before  the  general,  and  at  once  !  "  And  much 
abashed  the  natives  fell  back,  and  the  prisoners 
were  molested  no  further. 

It  would  naturally  be  supposed  that  the  general 
in  command  would  be  found  at  the  front  at  such 
a  time,  when  an  attack  on  the  city  was  but  a  matter 
of  a  few  hours.  Instead,  however,  General  Bamodo 
was  found  at  one  of  the  government  buildings, 
calmly  smoking  a  cigar,  and  conversing  with  several 
native  business  men. 


50       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  Spies,  eh  ?  "  he  queried,  when  the  guard  had  told 
him  about  the  prisoners.  "  Bring  them  in  immedi- 
ately." 

Larry  and  Luke  were  told  to  enter  the  room, 
and  did  so,  their  still  wet  clothing  forming  little 
puddles  at  their  feet.  The  guards  stood  beside  and 
behind  them.  General  Bamodo  eyed  them  critically. 
He  spoke  no  English,  and  so  called  in  an  interpreter. 

"  Where  are  you  from  ? "  demanded  the  inter- 
preter, presently,  after  a  few  words  with  his 
superior. 

" We  are  from  the  warship  Olympia"  answered 
Luke,  briefly. 

"You  were  sent  here  by  General  Otis  as  spies, 
not  so  ?  " 

"No,  sir,  we  are  jest  plain,  everyday  sailors." 

"Then  what  brought  you  here?"  demanded  the 
interpreter,  after  translating  their  words  to  General 
Bamodo. 

"  We  missed  our  way  on  the  road,"  put  in  Larry, 
before  Luke  could  answer.  He  thought  it  best  not 
to  say  anything  about  accompanying  General  Law- 
ton's  expedition. 

"  You  must  have  missed  it  very  much,  General 
Bamodo   says,"  growled   the   interpreter,    after   an- 


AN   ENCOUNTER    AT   THE   RIVER  51 

other  consultation  with  his  superior.  "  Santa  Cruz 
is  a  good  many  miles  from  Manila  harbor." 

To  this  Larry  remained  silent,  and  another  talk 
in  Spanish  followed.  Then  a  sudden  shot  from 
a  distance  caused  General  Bamodo  to  leap  to  his 
feet  and  dash  down  his  cigar. 

"  Take  them  to  the  prison  —  I  will  examine  them 
later  on,"  he  said,  in  Spanish,  and  hurried  away. 

A  few  minutes  later  Larry  and  his  Yankee  friend 
were  marched  off,  this  time  to  a  stone  building 
several  squares  away.  Here  they  were  taken  inside, 
thrust  into  a  cell,  the  iron-barred  door  was  locked 
upon  them,  and  they  were  left  to  their  fate. 


CHAPTER  VI 

IN  WHICH  LUKE  STRIKER  IS   WOUNDED 

The  plan  to  surprise  Santa  Cruz  had  failed,  yet 
General  Lawton's  command  was  just  as  eager  as 
ever  to  press  forward  and  do  battle  with  the  native 
garrison,  of  which  the  town  on  the  Laguna  de  Bay 
boasted.  It  was  thought  the  Filipino  command 
could  not  be  a  strong  one,  and  even  if  it  had  been 
the  Americans  would  have  gone  ahead  just  the 
same,  so  accustomed  were  they  to  victory  over  their 
misguided  foes. 

It  was  arranged  that  the  centre  and  left  wing 
of  the  infantry  should  move  directly  upon  the  town, 
while  the  right  wing  should  swing  around,  to  cut 
off  the  Filipinos'  retreat,  should  they  start  such 
a  movement.  In  the  meantime,  protected  by  a 
cross  fire  from  the  tinclads,  Laguna  and  Oeste,  the 
cavalry  landed  on  the  hill  overlooking  the  bay,  and 
began  to  do  battle  with  the  enemy's  force  in  that 
territory,  cutting  its  way  over  field  and  brush  to 

52 


IN   WHICH   LUKE   STRIKER   IS   WOUNDED         53 

the  left  wing  as  it  swung  closer  to  the  river  already- 
mentioned  several  times.  The  cavalry  developed 
a  strong  resistance  which  lasted  for  over  an  hour ; 
but  in  the  end  the  Filipinos  were  glad  enough  to 
fall  back  into  the  town  proper. 

Out  on  the  main  road  leading  to  the  principal 
bridge  over  the  river  the  sun  was  boiling  hot,  and 
many  a  soldier  felt  more  like  seeking  shelter  and 
resting  than  like  pushing  forward  with  his  heavy 
gun  and  other  equipments.  But  General  Lawton 
was  here  and  there,  encouraging  every  one,  and  they 
pushed  on  until  a  sharp  fire  between  the  enemy  and 
the  advance  guard  told  that  a  running  fight, 
and  perhaps  a  regular  battle,  would  soon  be  at 
hand. 

"  At  them,  my  men ! "  cried  the  various  com- 
manders. "They'll  run,  no  doubt  of  it.  They 
haven't  stood  up  against  us  yet !  "  And  away  went 
the  long  skirmishing  line,  and  soon  there  was  a 
steady  crack  and  pop  of  guns  and  pistols  as  the 
Americans  pushed  on,  catching  many  a  poor  Filipino 
who  was  too  late  in  either  running  or  throwing 
down  his  arms.  A  number  surrendered,  and  these 
"  were  promptly  sent  to  the  rear. 

Presently   the    river   was   gained,   and    here    the 


54       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Americans  came  to  an  unexpected  halt.  There  was 
a  long  bridge  to  cross,  and  beyond  was  a  barricade 
of  stone  and  wood.  Were  the  insurgents  massed 
behind  that  barricade  ?  If  they  were,  to  cross  the 
bridge  in  column  of  fours  or  otherwise  would  mean 
a  terrible  slaughter. 

"  Here  goes  !  "  sang  out  one  petty  officer,  and 
made  a  dash  forward,  which  was  as  reckless  as  it 
was  daring.  As  he  moved  along  the  bridge  several 
held  their  breath,  expecting  to  see  him  go  down  at 
any  instant.  But  then  came  a  rush  of  first  half 
a  dozen,  then  a  score,  and  then  whole  companies, 
and  it  was  speedily  seen  that  the  barricade  was 
practically  deserted.  The  insurgents  were  hurrying 
into  the  town  as  hard  as  they  could,  with  Uncle 
Sam's  men  after  them,  both  sides  keeping  up  a 
steady  firing  as  they  ran. 

In  the  meantime,  soaked  to  the  skin  and  utterly 
miserable  over  their  capture,  Larry  and  his  Yankee 
friend  had  been  thrust  into  the  prison  cell  and  left 
to  themselves.  After  the  door  was  locked  and  the 
jailer  walked  away,  the  youth  uttered  a  long-drawn 
sigh. 

"  Luke,  we're  in  a  pickle,  this  trip,"  he  groaned. 
"  What  do  you  suppose  they  will  do  with  us  ?  " 


DT  WHICH  LUKE   STRIKER   IS   WOUNDED         55 

"  Heaven  alone  knows,  my  lad,"  responded  the 
old  tar.  "  Bein'  as  how  they  ain't  cannibals,  I  don't 
reckon  they'll  eat  us  up,"  and  he  smiled  grimly. 

"  They  think  we  are  spies." 

"Thet's  so." 

"  Do  you  know  that  they  shoot  spies  —  and  do  it 
in  short  order,  too  ?  " 

"And  why  shouldn't  I  know  it,  Larry?  I've 
heard  tell  on  it  often  enough.  But  they  have  got  to 
prove  we  air  spies  first,  ain't  they  ?  " 

"  They'll  do  what  they  please.  I  believe  half  of 
these  Filipinos  think  the  Americans  are  nothing  but 
cut-throats.  They  can't  conceive  that  we  should 
want  to  come  here  and  govern  them  for  their  own 
good." 

"  Because  they  would  rather  govern  themselves, 
even  if  they  made  a  mess  of  it,  than  be  under  any- 
body's thumb  nail,  Larry.  Howsomever,  thet  ain't 
the  p'int  jest  now.  The  p'int  is,  kin  we  git  out  o' 
here  before  they  settle  to  do  wuss  with  us  ?  " 

"  Get  out  ?     You  mean  break  jail  ?  " 

"  Exactly.  We  don't  want  to  stay  here  if  we  kin 
git  out,  do  we?" 

"To  be  sure  not."  Larry  leaped  up  from  the 
bench  upon  which  he  had  been  resting  and  ran  to 


56       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

the  door.  At  this  Luke  smiled  glumly  and  shook 
his  head. 

"  Ye  won't  go  it  thet  way,  lad  —  the  guard  locked 
it,  I  seen  him  do  it,  —  and  the  lock  is  a  strong  one, 
too." 

Luke  was  right,  as  a  brief  examination  proved. 
Then  the  boy  turned  to  the  window,  an  affair  less 
than  a  foot  square,  having  over  it  several  iron  bars 
set  firmly  into  the  stones.  "No  thoroughfare 
there,"  was  his  comment. 

The  two  next  examined  the  floor,  to  find  it  of 
brick,  and  as  solid  as  the  walls.  "  Only  the  ceilin' 
left  now,"  said  Luke.  "  I  reckon  we  might  as  well 
give  it  up.  Even  if  we  do  git  out,  more'n  likely  a 
guard  outside  will  shoot  us  down." 

But  Larry  was  determined  to  test  the  ceiling, 
which  was  but  a  couple  of  feet  over  their  heads.  So 
he  had  his  companion  hold  him  for  that  purpose. 

"  There  is  a  loose  board  up  there,"  he  cried,  as  he 
was  feeling  his  way  along.  "Hold  me  a  little 
higher,  Luke,  and  perhaps  I  can  shove  it  up." 

The  old  sailor  did  as  requested,  and  with  a  strong 
push  Larry  shifted  one  end  of  the  plank  above,  so 
that  it  left  an  opening  ten  inches  wide  and  several 
feet  long.     Catching  a  good  hold  he  pulled  himself 


IS  WHICH  LUKE   STRIKER  IS   WOUNDED        57 

to  the  apartment  above,  to  find  it  stored  with  boxes 
and  barrels  containing  old  military  uniforms  and 
other  army  equipments,  relics  of  Spanish  rule. 

"  Any  way  out  up  thar  ?  "  queried  Luke.  "  If 
there  is,  we  don't  want  to  waste  any  time,  ye 
know." 

"  I'll  tell  you  in  a  minute,"  replied  Larry,  in  a  low 
voice,  and  ran  first  to  one  end  window  of  the  store- 
room and  then  the  other.  In  front  was  the  street, 
fast  filling  with  soldiers.  In  the  rear  was  a  stable 
which  just  now  seemed  deserted.  The  several  win= 
dows  of  the  storeroom  were  all  barred,  but  here  the 
bars  were  screwed  fast  to  wood  instead  of  being  set 
in  stone. 

"  I  think  there  is  a  chance  here,"  said  the  boy, 
coming  back  to  the  opening.  "  Here,  give  me  your 
hand,  and  I'll  help  you  up,"  and  he  bent  down  ;  and 
soon  Luke  stood  beside  him. 

"  Think  we  can  git  out  thet  way,  eh  !  "  said  the 
Yankee  tar,  surveying  the  prospect  in  the  rear. 
"  Well,  I  reckon  it's  worth  workin'  for,  Larry.  But 
the  drop  from  the  window,  even  if  we  pull  away  the 
bars  —  " 

"  Here  is  a  rope  —  we  can  use  that,"  answered  the 
boy,  pointing  out  the  article  around  several  small 


58       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

boxes.  While  Luke  pried  away  the  bars  of  one  of 
the  rear  windows  he  possessed  himself  of  the  rope, 
and  tied  it  fast  to  a  bar  which  was  not  disturbed. 
As  soon  as  the  opening  was  sufficiently  large  to 
admit  of  the  passage  of  each  one's  body,  Luke 
swung  himself  over  the  window-sill. 

"  Come  on,"  he  cried  softly,  and  slipped  from 
view.  Never  had  he  gone  down  a  ship's  rope 
quicker,  and  never  had  Larry  followed  his  friend 
with  such  alacrity.  Both  felt  that  life  or  death 
depended  upon  the  rapidity  of  their  movements. 

The  ground  was  hardly  touched  by  Luke  when  a 
Filipino  boy  appeared  at  the  entrance  to  the  stable. 
For  an  instant  the  youth  stared  in  opened-mouthed 
astonishment,  then  he  uttered  a  yell  that  would  have 
done  credit  to  an  Indian  on  the  war-path. 
'  "  The  jig's  up !  "  cried  the  Yankee  tar.  "  Come, 
Larry,  our  legs  have  got  to  save  us,  if  we're  to  be 
saved  at  all." 

He  leaped  across  the  yard  and  for  the  corner  of 
the  stable,  where  he  collided  with  a  Tagal  soldier, 
who  was  coming  forward  to  learn  what  the  yelling 
meant.  Down  went  both  the  sailor  and  the  guard; 
but  the  rebel  got  the  worse  of  it,  for  he  lay  half 
stunned,   while   Luke  was  up  in  a  trice.      As  the 


IN   WHICH   LUKE   STRIKER   IS   WOUNDED         59 

soldier  fell,  his  gun  flew  from  his  hands,  and  Larry 
tarried  just  long  enough  to  pick  the  weapon  up. 

Behind  the  stable  was  a  narrow,  winding  street, 
lined  on  either  side  with  huts  and  other  native 
dwellings,  with  here  and  there  a  barnlike  ware- 
house. Into  this  street  darted  our  two  friends,  and 
there  paused,  not  knowing  whether  to  move  toward 
the  wharves  or  in  the  opposite  direction. 

"  Look  out  !  "  suddenly  yelled  Larry,  and  dropped 
flat,  followed  by  the  Yankee  tar.  A  sharp  report 
rang  out,  and  a  bullet  whistled  over  their  heads, 
coming  from  the  prison  yard.  On  the  instant  Larry 
fired  in  return,  and  the  prison  guard  disappeared  as 
if  by  magic.  Long  afterward,  Larry  learned  that 
he  had  hit  the  Tagal  in  the  arm. 

There  was  now  a  general  alarm  throughout  the 
prison,  and  the  two  escaped  prisoners  felt  that  any 
other  locality  would  be  better  for  them  than  the  one 
they  now  occupied.  "  Let  us  try  to  find  our  sol- 
diers," said  Luke,  and  once  again  they  started  to 
run,  this  time  up  the  road  where,  far  away,  they 
could  make  out  a  forest  of  some  sort.  Then  came  a 
second  report,  and  Luke  Striker  staggered  back,  hit 
in  the  shoulder. 

"  Luke  !    Luke,  you  are  struck  ! "   gasped  Larry. 


60       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

His  heart  seemed  to  leap  into  his  throat.  What  if 
his  dearest  friend  had  been  mortally  wounded  ? 

"I  —  I — reckon  it — it  ain't  much!"  came  with 
a  shiver.  The  sailor  straightened  himself  up  and 
started  to  run  again.  "  They  are  after  us  hot-like, 
ain't  they?" 

A  turn  in  the  road  soon  took  them  out  of  sight  of 
the  prison,  and  they  breathed  a  bit  more  freely.  But 
the  strain  was  beginning  to  tell  upon  Luke,  and 
watching  him,  Larry  saw  that  he  was  growing 
deathly  pale. 

"  You  can't  keep  this  up,  Luke,"  he  said,  and  put 
out  his  arm  to  aid  his  friend.  As  he  did  so,  the 
Yankee  tar  gave  a  short  groan,  threw  up  both  hands, 
and  then  sank  down  in  a  heap  at  the  boy's  feet. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  RETREAT   TO  THE   RICE-HOUSE 

Larry  was  greatly  alarmed,  not  knowing  but  that 
his  companion  was  about  to  die  on  his  hands. 
Quickly  he  knelt  at  the  Yankee's  side,  to  learn  that 
Luke  had  fainted  away  from  loss  of  blood.  The 
shoulder  of  his  shirt  and  jacket  were  saturated 
through  and  through. 

"What  shall  I  do?"  the  boy  asked  himself,  and 
gazed  hurriedly  at  the  surroundings.  To  one  side 
of  the  road  were  several  nipa  huts,  to  the  other 
a  long,  rambling  warehouse.  The  doorways  of  all 
the  buildings  stood  open,  and  no  one  seemed  to  be 
in  sight. 

As  quickly  as  he  could  the  youth  took  up  his 
friend  and  staggered  with  his  heavy  burden  to  the 
warehouse,  which  was  about  half  filled  with  rice. 
Entering  the  structure,  he  passed  to  a  small  apart- 
ment somewhat  in  the  rear.  Here  there  was  a  quan- 
tity of  old  sacking  in  a  heap,  and  upon  this  rude 
couch  Larry  placed  the  unconscious  form. 

61 


62       THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

The  boy  had  been  taught  on  shipboard  just  what 
to  do  in  case  of  such  an  emergency,  and  now  he 
worked  as  he  never  had  before,  for  Luke  was  very 
dear  to  him,  and  the  thought  that  his  friend  might 
die  was  horrible  to  contemplate.  He  prayed  to 
Heaven  that  the  old  gunner's  life  might  be  spared 
to  him. 

The  wound  was  an  ugly  one  ;  yet  even  to  Larry's 
inexperienced  eye  it  did  not  look  as  if  it  could  be 
fatal,  and  the  boy  breathed  a  long  sigh  of  relief  as  he 
bound  it  up.  Then  he  went  in  search  of  water,  and 
finding  a  well  back  of  the  warehouse  brought  a 
bucketful  in  and  began  to  bathe  Luke.  Soon  the 
sufferer  stirred  and  opened  his  honest  eyes  wonder- 
ingly. 

"Why — er — how's  this?"  he  stammered.  "Did 
I  —  oh,  I  remember  now  ! "  And  he  sank  back 
again. 

"  Keep  quiet,"  whispered  the  boy.  He  had  heard 
voices  coming  toward  the  warehouse.  "  If  you 
make  a  sound,  it  may  be  all  up  with  both  of 
us." 

The  old  tar  breathed  heavily  and  nodded.  Throw- 
ing some  sacking  over  the  prostrate  form,  Larry 
slipped  back  into  the  main  apartment  of  the  ware- 


THE   RETREAT   TO   THE  RICE-HOUSE  63 

house.  He  still  held  the  gun,  but  it  was  empty  and 
could  be  used  only  as  a  club. 

Two  men  were  approaching  the  warehouse,  both 
tall,  slim,  and  evidently  of  Spanish  extraction. 
They  were  talking  loudly  and  excitedly  to  one 
another ;  but  as  Larry  understood  but  few  words  of 
Spanish,  what  they  were  saying  was  lost  upon  the 
boy. 

"I  don't  believe  they  are  after  us,"  thought  the 
lad,  when  the  strangers  came  to  a  halt  just  outside 
the  warehouse.  As  they  did  so  a  long  volley  of  rifle 
shots  came  from  a  distance,  followed  by  another  and 
then  another.  The  shooting  came  from  the  centre  of 
the  town  and  made  Larry's  heart  beat  fast.  "  Our 
soldiers  must  be  coming  in,"  he  thought.  "  Oh,  I 
hope  they  make  the  town  ours  ! " 

The  shots  appeared  to  disturb  the  two  Spaniards 
greatly,  for  both  clutched  each  other  by  the  arm  and 
looked  thoroughly  frightened. 

Presently  an  old  woman  came  running  out  of 
one  of  the  huts.  She  yelled  at  the  two  Spaniards 
in  her  own  tongue  and  pointed  at  the  warehouse. 
Evidently  she  had  seen  Larry  and  Luke,  but  had 
been  afraid  to  expose  herself. 

The   strangers   listened  to  the  old  woman  with 


64  THE  CAMPAIGN   OP   THE  JUNGLE 

interest,  then  began  to  talk  to  each  other.  "Per- 
haps we  can  get  some  information,  Jose,"  said  one, 
in  Spanish. 

"  Perhaps  we  shall  get  a  bullet,"  answered  his 
companion,  grimly.  Nevertheless,  he  consented  to 
enter  the  building,  and  both  passed  through  the 
great  doorway  of  the  warehouse. 

Hardly  knowing  how  to  receive  the  newcomers, 
Larry  stepped  for  a  moment  behind  a  bin  of  rice. 
But  then,  as  the  pair  moved  toward  where  Luke 
lay,  he  raised  his  gun  threateningly. 

"  Halt ! "  he  called,  as  sternly  as  he  could. 
«  Halt,  or  I  shall  fire !  " 

"  We  are  betrayed !  "  roared  one  of  the  Spaniards, 
in  his  native  tongue.  "  No  shoot !  no  shoot !  "  he 
added,  in  broken  English.  "We  mean  you  no 
harm." 

"  Up  with  your  hands,  then,"  went  on  Larry, 
resolved  to  make  the  most  of  the  situation,  even 
though  the  gun  was  empty;  and  four  hands  went 
promptly  into  the  air,  for  the  two  men  before  him 
were  as  cowardly  as  they  were  unprincipled. 

There  was  an  awkward  silence  for  several  sec- 
onds, while  boy  and  men  surveyed  each  other. 
Larry  lowered  the  gun  slightly,  but  still  kept  his 


THE   RETREAT  TO   THE   RICE-HOUSE  65 

finger  on  the  trigger.  He  noted  that  the  new- 
comers appeared  to  be  unarmed,  although  they  had 
both  knives  and  pistols  hidden  upon  their  persons. 

"You  are  an  Americano  sailor,  not  so?"  asked 
one  of  the  Spaniards. 

"I  am,"  was  Larry's  prompt  reply.  "Are  you 
one  of  Aguinaldo's  rebels?" 

"  No,  no  !  We  are  no  rebels  —  we  are  peaceful 
Spanish  gentlemen,"  put  in  the  second  Spaniard. 

"  Do  you  belong  here  ?  " 

"I  belong  here,"  said  the  man  who  had  first 
spoken.     "  My  brother,  he  belongs  at  Manila." 

The  brother  mentioned  shot  an  angry  glance  at 
the  speaker.  "  Yes,  I  come  from  Manila,"  he  said. 
"  But  I  belong  truly  in  Spain,  being  a  merchant  of 
Madrid." 

"Well,  our  war  with  you  folks  is  over,"  said 
Larry,  slowly,  hardly  knowing  how  to.  proceed. 
"  If  you  are  not  going  to  help  the  rebels,  you  ought 
to  help  us.  We  are  doing  all  we  can  for  your  pris- 
oners out  here,"  he  added,  meaning  the  Spaniards 
that  were  being  held  by  the  forces  under  General 
Aguinaldo  —  soldiers  who  were  captured  during  the 
struggle  between  Spain  and  her  Philippine  colonies. 

"We  can  do  but  little,"  came  with  a  shrug  of 

F 


66       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

the  shoulders.  "  We  are  not  armed,  and  if  we 
help  the  Americanos,  Aguinaldo  says  he  will  behead 
all  the  Spanish  prisoners  he  is  holding."  Such  a 
threat  was  actually  made,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  the 
Filipinos  would  have  been  base  enough  to  carry 
it  out. 

"We  came  in  here  not  to  make  trouble,"  went 
on  the  second  Spaniard.  "  We  came  to  learn  what 
the  firing  means.  Are  the  Americanos  coming  here 
in  force  ?  " 

"  They  are." 

"  Then  Santa  Cruz  is  doomed,"  groaned  the  Span- 
iard. He  dropped  his  hands  and  began  to  pace  the 
warehouse  floor.  "  I  shall  lose  much  if  the  city 
falls.  The  rebels  will  burn  all  my  property,  for 
they  hate  me." 

"I  trust  not,"  answered  Larry,  his  fear  of  the 
pair  gradually  leaving  him.  "  Hark  to  that ! " 
he  added,  as  the  rattle  of  guns  was  again  heard. 
"  Our  men  must  be  coming  in  fast,  and  orders  are 
to  save  everything  that  can  be  saved.  If  the 
rebels  —  " 

He  broke  off  short  as  a  cry  from  Luke  reached 
him.  Running  to  the  Yankee  sailor  he  found  Luke 
kicking  out  vigorously  with  his  foot. 


THE   RETREAT   TO   THE   RICE-HOUSE  67 

"  I  couldn't  keep  still  no  longer,  nohow !  "  burst 
out  the  old  tar.  "A  plagued  rat  came  right  up 
and  wanted  to  nibble  my  leg,  hang  him.  Who's 
them  air  fellows  out  thar  ?  " 

But  the  Spaniards  had  already  followed  Larry, 
and  were  now  gazing  at  Luke  in  wonder. 
"Wounded,  not  so?"  said  one.  "You  were  in 
the  fight,  then." 

"No,  we  escaped  from  the  prison,"  answered 
Larry,  simply.  "We  were  captured  during  last 
night.  I  wish  I  was  sure  we'd  be  safe  here  until 
our  soldiers  come  along."  He  turned  to  the  old 
sailor  again.     "How  do  you  feel  now?" 

"  Better,  Larry,  a  heap  better.  But  I  ain't  ready 
fer  no  more  foot  races  jest  yet." 

"Then  we'll  have  to  remain  here.  Or  perhaps 
you  had  better  remain  here  while  I  go  scouting 
around  and  see  if  I  can  find  some  of  our  soldiers,  or 
the  ambulance  corps." 

"An'  what  o'  these  gentlemen?" 

"We  shall  go,  too,"  said  one  of  the  Spaniards. 
"  Your  friend  will  be  safe  here  —  if  he  keeps  hidden 
under  the  sacks,"  he  added. 

Waiting  for  the  strangers  to  move  first,  Larry 
came  behind  them,  still  holding  the  gun  as  though 


68       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

the  weapon  were  ready  for  use.  The  men  had 
spoken  fairly  enough,  yet  there  was  that  about 
them  which  did  not  please  Larry  in  the  least. 
"They  are  regular  rascals,  or  else  I  miss  my 
guess,"  thought  the  youth. 

The  roadway  still  seemed  deserted.  But  far  off 
they  could  see  the  natives  flying  in  several  direc- 
tions. Then  from  a  distance  came  a  cheer  which 
Larry  knew  could  only  come  from  American 
throats. 

"  Our  soldiers  must  be  over  there,"  he  said  to 
the  Spaniards.     "Will  you  come  with  me?" 

The  men  hesitated,  and  consulted  together  in 
their  native  tongue.  "I  do  not  know  what  to 
say,"  said  one,  slowly,  and  began  to  follow  Larry 
along  the  highway.  Seeing  this,  the  other  came, 
too. 

Suddenly  a  loud  shout  came  to  them  from  a 
thicket  back  of  some  nipa  huts,  and  instantly  a 
band  of  insurgents  burst  into  view,  armed  with 
guns  and  bolos.  They  were  firing  as  they  retreated, 
and  made  a  stand  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road. 

"  Jose  Lupez !  "  cried  one  of  the  officers  of  the 
rebels,  addressing  one  of  the  two  Spaniards. 
"  What  do  you  here  ?  " 


THE  RETREAT  TO  THE  RICE-HOUSE  69 

"  And  have  I  no  right  here  ?  "  asked  the  Spaniard, 
sharply. 

"  Who  is  that  with  you  ?  " 

"My  brother,  Benedicto,  from  Manila,  who  was 
visiting  me." 

"  He  has  betrayed  us  into  the  hands  of  the  Ameri- 
canos  !    If  he  —  " 

The  rest  of  the  sentence  was  drown  out  in  a 
volley  of  musketry,  and  two  rebels  were  seen  to  fall. 
Some  started  to  run,  but  others  held  their  ground. 

Larry  listened  in  amazement.  He  had  heard  the 
names  Jose  Lupez  and  Benedicto,  and  knew  that 
the  two  Spaniards  were  brothers.  Could  this  Span- 
iard, Benedicto  Lupez,  be  the  man  who  had  made  off 
with  the  money  Braxton  Bogg  had  stolen  from  the 
Hearthstone  Saving  Institution  ? 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A  PRISONER   OF   THE  FILIPINOS 

Larry  had  retreated  to  a  small  nipa  hut  standing 
close  to  the  roadway,  feeling  that  if  the  Americans 
were  coming  in  that  direction,  they  would  soon  be  at 
hand  to  give  Luke  and  himself  aid. 

While  the  insurgents  and  the  Spaniards  were  con- 
versing, the  latter  had  approached  the  hut,  and  now 
both  followed  the  young  sailor  inside. 

"  Is  your  name  Benedicto  Lupez  ? "  demanded 
Larry,  approaching  the  taller  of  the  pair. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  short  response. 

"  Then  you  are  from  Manila  —  you  ran  away  from 
there  about  two  weeks  ago  ?  " 

"  Ha  !  what  do  you  know  of  that  ? "  demanded 
the  Spaniard,  eying  Larry  darkly. 

"I  know  a  good  deal  about  you,"  answered  the 
youth,  boldly.  "  After  Braxton  Bogg  was  arrested 
you  made  off  with  the  money  he  had  left  at  your 
residence." 

"  'Tis  false  ! "  roared  the  Spaniard,  but  his  face 
70 


A  PEISONER   OF    THE   FILIPINOS  71 

blanched  even  as  he  spoke.  "  I  know  nothing  of 
that  man  or  his  money.  I  —  I  was  deceived  in 
him." 

"  If  that  is  so,  why  did  you  leave  Manila  in  such 
a  hurry  ?  " 

"I  —  I  wanted  to  help  my  brother,  who  was  in 
trouble.  I  have  not  seen  a  dollar  of  Bogg's  money. 
'Tis  he  who  still  owes  me  for  his  board,  black 
wretch  that  he  was  ! "  roared  Benedicto  Lupez, 
savagely. 

At  these  words  Larry  was  startled.  Was  Lupez 
really  telling  the  truth,  and  if  so,  where  was  the 
money  that  had  wrecked  the  saving  institution  ? 

"  He  didn't  even  pay  his  board  ?  " 

"  Not  one  piaster,  boy,  —  nothing.  And  I  thought 
him  honest,  or  I  would  not  have  taken  him  in." 

"  But  his  valise  is  gone,  and  the  bands  around  the 
money  —  " 

;;  Were  as  he  left  them.  I  can  swear  I  touched 
absolutely  nothing,"  answered  Benedicto  Lupez, 
earnestly. 

Larry  was  nonplussed.  Had  the  Spaniard  looked 
less  of  a  villain,  the  young  sailor  would  have  been 
inclined  to  believe  him.  But  that  face  was  so  crafty 
and  calculating  that  he  still  hesitated. 


72       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  Well,  if  you  are  innocent,  you  will  not  object  to 
helping  me  rejoin  our  soldiers,"  he  ventured. 

"  I  want  nothing  to  do  with  the  Americanos,  — 
they  mean  to  get  me  into  trouble,  even  though  I  am 
innocent,"  growled  Benedicto  Lupez.  "  Come,  Jose, 
we  will  go,"  he  added  to  his  brother,  in  their  native 
language. 

His  brother  was  already  at  the  doorway.  The 
shouting  and  firing  outside  was  increasing.  Leap- 
ing forward,  Larry  caught  Benedicto  Lupez  by  the 
arm. 

"  You'll  stay  here,"  he  began,  when  the  Spaniard 
let  out  a  heavy  blow  which  hurled  the  young  sailor 
flat. 

"  I  will  not  be  held  by  a  boy  !  "  cried  the  man. 
"  Let  go,  do  you  hear  ?  "  For  Larry  had  caught  him 
by  the  foot.  The  boy's  hold  was  good,  and  in  a  trice 
Benedicto  Lupez  lay  flat  on  his  back.  Then  he  rolled 
over  and  over  and  a  fierce  tussle  ensued,  which  came 
to  a  sudden  end  when  Jose  Lupez  leaped  forward 
and  kicked  Larry  in  the  head,  rendering  him  partly 
unconscious. 

What  followed  was  more  like  a  dream  than  reality 
to  the  bruised  youth.  He  heard  a  confused  murmui 
of  voices  and  a  dozen  or  more  shots,  and  then,  as 


A  PRISONER   OF   THE   FILIPINOS  73 

Benedicto  Lupez  and  his  brother  ran  off,  several  reb- 
els swarmed  into  the  hut,  one  stumbling  over  the  lad's 
form  and  pitching  headlong.  This  insurgent  was 
about  to  knife  Larry  when  he  saw  that  the  young 
sailor's  eyes  were  closed,  and  that  he  was  bleeding 
about  the  head. 

"  Un  Americano,  and  wounded,"  he  said,  speaking 
in  the  Tagalog  dialect.  "  If  he  lives,  he  may  make 
us  a  useful  prisoner;"  and  a  few  minutes  later  Larry 
felt  himself  picked  up  and  borne  away,  first  in  a 
man's  arms  and  then  on  horseback.  He  tried  to 
"  locate "  himself,  but  when  he  opened  his  eyes  all 
went  swimming  before  them,  and  he  was  glad  enough 
to  sink  back  once  more  and  shut  out  the  swirling 
sight. 

On  and  on,  and  still  on  went  the  rebels,  some  on 
foot  and  a  few  on  their  steeds.  In  front  were  a  few 
wagons  and  caribao  carts  piled  high  with  camping 
outfits,  and  also  one  or  two  light  guns  —  all  that  had 
been  saved  from  the  garrison.  General  Lawton's 
attack  had  been  a  brilliant  success,  and  Santa  Cruz 
itself  had  surrendered  with  hardly  the  loss  of  a  man 
to  the  Americans.  The  troops  coming  in  did  their 
best  to  round  up  the  insurgents,  but  they  had  scat- 
tered in  all  directions  and  only  a.  few  were  caught, 


74       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

and  these  swore  that  they  were  amigos,  or  friends, 
and  had  to  be  given  their  liberty.  This  pretending 
to  be  friends  after  they  were  routed  was  a  great  trick 
with  thousands  of  the  natives.  They  would  come 
into  the  American  camp  under  the  pretext  that  they 
had  just  escaped  from  the  insurgents  who  had  threat- 
ened to  kill  them  if  they  would  not  join  Aguinaldo's 
forces.  What  to  do  with  such  people  was  one  of  the 
most  difficult  problems  of  the  rebellion.  They  could 
not  be  placed  under  arrest,  and  yet  that  is  what  nine 
out  of  ten  deserved. 

When  Larry  was  once  more  himself  he  found  that 
it  was  night.  He  was  in  a  heap  in  a  large  casco 
which  several  Tagals  were  propelling  with  all  speed 
across  the  Laguna  de  Bay.  There  were  several 
other  cascos  in  front  and  behind,  all  filled  with 
natives  with  guns.  The  entire  procession  moved 
along  in  almost  utter  silence. 

The  youth  wanted  to  know  where  he  was  being 
taken,  but  no  sooner  did  he  open  his  mouth  than  one 
of  the  soldiers  clapped  a  dirty  hand  over  it  and  com- 
manded him  to  be  silent.  As  the  soldier  carried  a 
bolo  in  his  hand,  Larry  considered  "  discretion  the 
better  part  of  valor,"  and  for  the  time  being,  held 
his  peace. 


A  PRISONER   OF   THE   FILIPINOS  75 

A  swarm  of  mosquitoes  soon  told  the  boy  that 
they  were  approaching  a  marsh,  and  presently  the 
casco  ran  in  between  the  reeds  and  under  some  high, 
overhanging  tropical  bushes.  Then  those  on  board 
leaped  ashore,  and  the  youth  was  made  to  follow 
them. 

A  weary  tramp  over  the  marsh  and  then  up  a  high 
hill  followed.  The  hill  was  covered  with  wild  plan- 
tains, monstrous  ferns,  and  a  species  of  cedar  tree, 
all  thickly  interlaced  with  the  ever  present  tropical 
vines,  which  crossed  and  recrossed  the  tortuous  path 
the  party  was  following.  Overhead  the  stars  shone 
down  dimly,  while  the  forest  was  filled  with  the 
cries  of  the  birds,  the  chattering  of  an  occasional 
monkey,  and  the  constant  drone  and  chirp  of  the 
innumerable  insects.  The  path  was  uneven,  and 
more  than  once  Larry  pitched  into  a  hollow  along 
with  the  Tagal  who  accompanied  him  and  who  never 
let  go  his  hold  on  the  youthful  prisoner. 

At  last  they  came  to  a  halt  before  a  series  of  rocks. 
Here  there  was  a  rude  cave,  partly  concealed  by 
bushes.  As  the  party  halted,  several  natives  came 
from  the  cave  to  give  them  welcome.  There  was  no 
doubt  but  that  this  was  a  rendezvous  well  known  to 
the  insurgents. 


76       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  A  prisoner  is  it  ?  "  said  one  of  the  natives,  coming 
forward  and  holding  up  a  torch  of  pitch.  "  A  mere 
boy.     Bah,  Lanza,  cannot  you  do  better  ?  " 

"  He  was  with  the  soldiers  who  took  Santa  Cruz, 
and  he  wears  the  cap  from  a  warship,"  replied  Lanza. 
"  It  may  be  we  can  get  more  out  of  him  than  out  of 
somebody  older." 

"  Well,  perhaps ;  but  I  would  rather  you  had 
brought  in  a  man,"  was  the  brief  response. 

The  conversation  was  in  the  Tagalog  dialect,  and 
consequently  Larry  did  not  understand  a  word  of  it. 
The  boy  was  made  to  march  into  the  cave,  which  he 
found  to  be  much  larger  than  he  expected.  It  was 
fully  forty  feet  broad  by  sixty  feet  deep,  and  at  the 
farther  end  a  bright  fire  was  burning,  the  blaze 
mounting  high  up  in  a  natural  chimney  and  render- 
ing the  surroundings  as  light  almost  as  day. 

On  coming  to  his  senses,  the  youth's  hands  had 
been  bound  behind  him,  and  now  he  was  made  to  sit 
down  with  his  back  against  a  fair-sized  tree  trunk 
which  had  been  dragged  into  the  cave  for  firewood. 
A  rope  was  passed  around  the  log  and  this  in  turn 
was  fastened  to  the  cord  about  his  wrists,  thus  mak- 
ing him  a  close  prisoner. 

For  several  hours  the  rebels  paid  but  scant  atten- 


A  PRISONER   OF   THE  FILIPINOS  77 

tion  to  him,  further  than  to  furnish  him  a  bowl  of  rice 
*  pap,"  from  which  he  might  sup  while  it  was  held 
to  his  lips.  They  also  gave  him  a  drink  of  water, 
and  one  young  rebel  considerately  washed  the  wound 
on  his  head,  on  which  the  blood  had  dried,  presenting 
anything  but  a  pleasant  sight. 

As  the  hours  went  by  the  rebels  around  the  cave 
kept  increasing  in  numbers  until  there  were  several 
hundred  all  told.  Those  who  came  in  last  told  of 
the  complete  downfall  of  Santa  Cruz,  but  none  of 
them  had  the  least  idea  of  what  the  Americans  were 
going  to  do  next.  "  Perhaps  they  will  follow  us  to 
here,"  said  one,  grimly. 

"  No,  they  know  better  than  to  follow  us  into  the 
jungles  and  mountains,"  said  the  leader,  Fipile.  "  If 
they  did  that,  we  could  shoot  them  down  like  so  many 
monkeys."  They  had  still  to  learn  the  true  character 
of  the  tireless  general  who  had  now  taken  up  their 
trail,  and  who  knew  no  such  words  as  fear  or  failure. 

It  was  well  toward  noon  of  the  day  following 
when  Captain  Fipile  came  in  to  have  a  talk  with 
Larry.  He  spoke  English  remarkably  well,  for  he 
had  spent  several  years  of  his  life  in  San  Francisco, 
and  in  Hong  Kong  among  the  English  located  at 
that  port. 


78       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  Your  name,  my  boy,"  he  said,  sitting  down 
beside  the  young  tar.  And  when  Larry  had  given 
it,  he  continued,  "You  were  with  the  American 
troops  who  carried  Santa  Cruz?" 

"I  was,  sir,  although  I  got  into  the  city  before 
they  did." 

"  Indeed,  and  how  was  that  ? "  questioned  the 
Filipino  leader,  and  Larry  told  as  much  of  his  story 
as  he  deemed  necessary. 

To  the  tale  Captain  Fipile  listened  with  interest, 
even  smiling  when  Larry  told  how  he  had  broken 
out  of  the  prison.  "  You  did  wonderfully  well  for 
a  boy,"  he  remarked.  "  A  man  could  not  have  done 
more.     What  became  of  your  friend  ?  " 

"  I  left  him  at  the  warehouse.  I  hope  he  rejoined 
the  soldiers." 

"And  what  of  Senors  Benedicto  and  Jose  Lupez?" 

"I  don't  know  what  became  of  them." 

"  I  know  this  Jose  Lupez  fairly  well,  and  I  always 
thought  him  an  honest  man."  Captain  Fipile  stroked 
his  chin  thoughtfully.  "We  are  fighting  you  Ameri- 
cans, it  is  true,  but  we  would  not  wish  to  shelter  a 
thief  who  had  run  away  from  among  you»  We  are 
above  that,  even  though  a  good  many  of  your  coun- 
trymen will  not  give  us  credit  for  it." 


A   PRISONER   OF   THE   FILIPINOS  79 

"  We  know  that  some  of  the  Filipinos  are  honest 
enough,"  said  Larry,  hesitatingly.  "  What  do  you 
intend  to  do  with  me  ?  "  he  went  on,  after  a  pause. 

"That  remains  to  be  seen.  Would  you  like  to 
join  our  army  ?  " 

"  Me  ?     No,  sir  !  "  cried  the  youth,  promptly. 

Captain  Fipile  laughed  outright.  "You  are  honest 
enough  about  it,  I  must  say.  How  about  giving  us 
a  little  information  ?     Will  you  object  to  that  ?  " 

"I  have  given  you  considerable  information 
already. " 

"I  mean  military  information." 

"  I  haven't  anything  to  say  on  that  point." 

"  Can't  I  persuade  you  to  tell  me  what  you  may 
happen  to  know  ?  ' ' 

"No,  sir." 

"  If  I  can  get  you  to  talk,  it  may  go  much  easier 
with  you  while  you  remain  our  prisoner,"  went  on 
the  captain,  suggestively. 

"I'm  sorry,  but  I  haven't  anything  to  say." 

"  Very  well,  then,  Master  Russell,  if  you  are  rather 
harshly  treated  in  the  future,  remember  you  have 
only  yourself  to  blame.  As  a  general  rule,  we  take 
prisoners  only  for  the  purpose  of  squeezing  what 
information  we  can  out  of  them." 


80       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

And  thus  speaking,  Captain  Fipile  arose  and 
quitted  the  cave,  leaving  Larry  to  his  own  reflec- 
tions, which  were  more  dismal  than  they  were 
encouraging. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  ADVANCE  INTO  THE  JUNGLE 

Santa  Cruz  had  been  taken,  but  there  was 
still  much  to  do  around  the  shores  of  the  Laguna 
de  Bay  to  make  it  safe  territory  for  the  Americans 
to  hold.  From  the  city  the  rebels  were  pursued 
eastward,  and  a  number  of  cascos  and  larger  boats 
were  captured.  Inside  of  a  few  days  Paete,  Lon- 
gos,  Lumban,  and  several  other  villages,  were 
visited  by  detachments  of  General  Lawton's  com- 
mand, and  the  insurgents  fled  in  each  instance, 
leaving  all  behind  them.  Nearly  a  hundred  who 
stopped  to  fight  were  either  killed  or  wounded, 
and  victory  was  entirely  upon  the  side  of  the 
Americans. 

But  now  it  was  learned  that  the  forces  under 
General  Aguinaldo  and  General  Luna  were  con- 
centrating once  more  to  the  north  and  east  of 
Malolos,  and  much  as  he  regretted  the  necessity, 
General  Otis  was  compelled  to  order  General  Law- 
ton  and  his  command  back  to  the  territory  above 
g  81 


82       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Manila.  No  garrisons  could  be  spared  for  Santa 
Cruz,  or  the  other  places  captured,  so  these  settle- 
ments were  allowed  to  fall  once  more  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  after  all  the  fortifications  had  been 
destroyed  and  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war  con- 
fiscated. It  seemed  a  pity  to  leave  these  towns 
and  villages  after  having  once  taken  them,  but  to 
garrison  them  properly  would,  according  to  Gen- 
eral Lawton's  estimate,  have  taken  thousands  of 
soldiers. 

With  the  taking  of  Santa  Cruz,  the  Americans 
marched  through  all  the  streets  and  by-ways,  look- 
ing for  lurking  rebels  and  hidden  arms,  and  in 
this  search  a  squad  of  infantry  came  upon  Luke 
Striker,  who  had  propped  himself  up  on  the  sack- 
ing in  the  warehouse  and  was  making  himself  as 
comfortable  as  possible. 

"  Hullo,  sailor,"  cried  the  sergeant  in  charge  of 
the  squad.     "  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  " 

Luke's  story  was  quickly  told,  and  he  begged 
the  soldier  to  look  for  Larry,  fearing  that  serious 
harm  had  befallen  the  lad.  At  once  two  soldiers 
were  detailed  to  care  for  the  old  Yankee,  while 
the  rest  went  on  a  hunt  which  lasted  far  into  the 
night. 


"Hullo,  sailor,  where  did  you  come  from?"  —  Page  82 


THE   ADVANCE   INTO   THE   JUNGLE  83 

As  we  know,  nothing  was  seen  of  Larry ;  but 
from  a  wounded  and  dying  Filipino,  the  soldiers 
learned  that  the  boy  had  been  taken  a  prisoner, 
and  must  now  be  many  miles  away  from  the  city. 
News  of  this  reached  Luke  while  he  was  in  the 
temporary  hospital  opened  up  after  the  first  fight, 
and  the  information  made  the  old  fellow  feel  as 
bad  as  did  his  wound. 

"If  they've  captured  him,  he's  a  goner,  I'm 
afraid,"  he  said  to  Jack  Biddle,  who  had  come 
in  to  help  look  after  his  messmate.  "  Poor  Larry ! 
What  will  his  brother  Ben  say,  when  he  hears  of 
it?" 

"  Better  not  tell  him  right  away,"  suggested 
Biddle.  "Give  him  a  chance  to  get  strong  fust. 
Besides,  Larry  may  give  'em  the  slip.  He's  putty 
cute,  ye  know." 

The  news  soon  spread  that  Larry  and  several 
others  were  missing,  and  a  description  of  the  ab- 
sent ones  was  given  out.  The  next  day  one  of  the 
missing  soldiers  was  found  dead  in  the  jungle,  but 
nothing  was  learned  of  the  others. 

"  It  serves  the  young  sailor  right,"  growled  Lieu- 
tenant Horitz.  "  He  knew  too  much  for  his  own 
good."     He  had  not  forgotten  the  disaster  on  the 


84  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

river,  and  secretly  he  wished  Larry  all  manner  of 
ill-luck.  During  the  rush  through  the  woods  the 
Lieutenant  had  tumbled  and  struck  his  nose  on  a 
stone.  That  member  was  much  swollen  and  cut 
in  consequence,  and  this  put  him  in  a  worse  humor 
than  ever  before. 

By  the  time  the  expedition  was  to  return  to 
Manila,  Luke  was  able  to  walk  around  again,  and 
he  was  put  on  one  of  the  larger  boats  and  Jack 
Biddle  was  detailed  to  look  after  him.  The  return 
to  Manila  was  made  without  special  incident,  and 
two  days  later  found  Luke  on  board  the  Olympia 
among  all  his  old  friends. 

But  the  Yankee  tar  was  thoroughly  out  of  sorts. 
"I  wouldn't  care  for  the  wound  at  all,  if  only  I 
knew  Larry  was  safe,"  he  was  wont  to  say  a  dozen 
times  a  day.  Barrow,  Castleton,  and  all  the  boy's 
old  friends  were  likewise  troubled  because  of  his 
strange  disappearance. 

It  was  Jack  Biddle  who  got  shore  leave  and 
travelled  up  to  Malolos  to  break  the  news  to  Ben. 
He  found  the  acting  captain  of  Company  D  just 
preparing  to  take  his  place  in  the  command  once 
more. 

"I'm  glad  to  see  you  lookin'  well,  leftenant," 


THE  ADVANCE  INTO  THE  JUNGLE  85 

he  said,  after  shaking  hands  warmly.  "Ye  look 
almost  as  healthy  as  ye  did  on  the  voyage  from 
Brooklyn  to  Manila." 

"  And  I  feel  almost  as  well,"  replied  Ben.  "  The 
rest  has  done  me  a  world  of  good.  But  what 
brought  you  up,  Jack?  Did  Larry  come  with 
you?" 

"  No,  Larry  didn't  come,"  stammered  the  old  tar, 
and  looked  down  at  the  floor.  "  Fact  is,  lef tenant, 
Larry  —  he  —  he  couldn't  come." 

"  Couldn't  come  ?  Why,  what's  the  matter  ?  " 
cried  Ben,  quickly.     "  Is  he  sick  ?  " 

"I  reckon  not  —  leas'wise,  I  don't  know.  Fact 
is,  leftenant,  none  on  us  know.  Ye  see,  he  went 
upon  thet  Santa  Cruz  expedition  — " 

"Yes,  yes,  I  know  that.  And  what  of  it?  Was 
he  —  was  he  —  "  Ben  could  not  utter  the  words 
which  came  to  his  mind. 

"  No,  he  wasn't  shot,  thet  is,  so  far  as  we  know. 
But  he's  —  well,  he's  missin',  an'  we  can't  find  hide 
nor  hair  o'  him  anywhere.  I  might  ez  well  tell 
ye  fust  ez  last,  though  it  cuts  my  heart  to  do 
it,  leftenant."  And  Jack  Biddle  shook  his  head 
dubiously. 

It  was   a  great   shock  to   Ben,  yet  he  stood  it 


86       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLB 

better  than  the  old  tar  had  expected.  He  asfcea 
immediately  for  details,  and  though  he  drank  in 
every  word  his  manner  showed  that  his  thoughts 
were  far  away. 

"I  wish  I  had  been  along,"  he  said  bitterly. 
"  If  he  wasn't  killed,  the  Filipinos  must  have  car- 
ried him  off  a  pretty  good  distance.  I  wonder  if 
General  Lawton  tried  to  find  out  anything  under 
a  flag  of  truce." 

"  Everything  that  could  be  done  was  done  —  I 
have  Captain  Gaston's  word  on  that,"  answered 
Jack  Biddle.  Captain  Gaston  and  Ben  were  well 
known  to  each  other. 

Ben  sank  down  on  a  bench,  and  for  several 
minutes  said  not  a  word,  but  the  tears  stood  in 
his  eyes,  tears  which  he  hastily  dried  that  nobody 
might  see  them.  Then  Gilbert  Pennington  came 
in,  to  tell  him  that  the  regiment  was  ordered  to 
move  within  the  hour. 

"  It's  too  bad  !  "  declared  the  young  Southerner. 
"But  brace  up,  Ben,  'While  there  is  life  there  is 
hope,'  and  it's  a  pretty  sure  thing  that  he  wasn't 
killed."  And  with  this  ray  of  comfort  Ben  had 
to  be  content. 

During  the  days  that  General  Lawton  had  been 


THE  ADVANCE  INTO  THE  JUNGLE      87 

in  the  vicinity  of  the  Laguna  de  Bay,  the  regiment 
to  which  Ben  and  Gilbert  belonged  had  not  been 
idle.  With  a  number  of  other  troops  they  started 
for  the  town  of  Santa  Maria,  where  they  came 
upon  the  enemy  and  dislodged  them  with  shells. 
The  town,  already  in  names,  was  allowed  to  burn, 
and  the  Americans  pursued  the  rebels  quite  a  dis- 
tance into  the  mountains,  but  failed  to  catch 
them. 

In  the  meantime  the  camp  of  the  Third  Artillery, 
situated  some  distance  to  the  west  of  Malolos,  was 
attacked.  A  fierce  engagement  in  the  swamps 
took  place,  and  in  the  end  the  rebels  were  driven 
northward  and  began  then  to  concentrate  at  Tar- 
lac,  which  soon  became  one  of  their  new  capitals 
—  they  shifting  the  seat  of  government  as  often 
as  it  suited  their  convenience. 

It  was  now  felt  by  General  Otis  and  others  in 
command  that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  an  en- 
deavor to  round  up  the  insurgents  to  the  north 
of  Malolos,  who  were  the  main  support  of  the 
rebellion,  although  scattering  bands  were  still 
operating  to  the  south  and  southeast.  The  rainy 
season  was  but  a  few  weeks  off,  and  once  this  set 
in  military  operations  would  be  much  retarded,  if 


88  THE   CAMPAIGN"  OF   THE  JUNGLE 

not  stopped  altogether,  for,  taken  as  a  whole,  the 
roads  throughout  the  Island  of  Luzon  are  bad,  and 
heavy  rains  render  them  well-nigh  impassable. 

In  order  to  make  the  campaign  against  the 
rebels  as  effective  as  possible,  General  Otis  decided 
to  send  out  two  columns,  one  under  General 
MacArthur  to  strike  out  for  Calumpit,  and  the 
second,  under  General  Lawton,  to  take  a  route 
to  the  eastward,  along  the  base  of  the  hills  leading 
to  San  Isidro.  By  this  it  was  hoped,  if  the  rebels 
at  Calumpit  were  defeated  and  tried  to  take  to 
the  mountains,  they  would  fall  directly  into  Law- 
ton's  hands,  and  not  only  have  to  surrender  but 
also  give  up  all  their  war  supplies. 

It  was  in  the  furtherance  of  this  plan  that  Gen- 
eral Lawton  left  Manila  with  his  brigade  and  struck 
out  for  Novaliches  which  was  gained  after  a  small 
skirmish  at  Tuliahan  River.  From  here  the  col- 
umn moved  to  Norzagaray  to  await  reinforcements 
which  were  coming  in  from  Malolos  and  vicinity. 
To  these  reinforcements  belonged  the  command  to 
which  Ben  and  Gilbert  were  attached. 

It  had  begun  to  rain,  and  those  who  understood 
tropical  weather  predicted  that  the  wet  season  was 
at   hand.      Yet   it   was   very   hot,   and    the    water 


THE   ADVANCE  INTO  THE  JUNGLE  89 

which  fell  arose  in  clouds  of  steam  on  the  road, 
rendering  marching  anything  but  comfortable. 

"  Sure,  an'  it  makes  a  man  feel  as  if  he  was 
takin'  a  stame  bath,  so  it  does,"  remarked  Dan 
Casey,  as  he  swung  along  on  the  route  step.  "I 
don't  know  as  I  iver  see  it  rain  hot  wather  before, 
bedad,"  he  added,  as  he  wiped  the  perspiration 
from  his  sadly  freckled  face. 

During  the  day's  march,  which  was  trying  to 
everybody,  Ben  was  silent,  wondering  what  had 
become  of  Larry  and  if  he  would  ever  again  see  his 
younger  brother.  When  the  command  went  into 
camp  under  the  shelter  of  a  grove  of  tall  trees,  both 
Gilbert  and  Major  Morris  visited  his  tent  to 
comfort  him. 

"  He  is  not  the  only  one  who  is  missing,"  remarked 
the  major  of  the  first  battalion.  "  So  far  I  under- 
stand the  warships  have  lost  about  a  dozen  men  who 
went  ashore  and  failed  to  return.  And  you  know 
there  are  six  men  missing  from  our  own  regiment." 

"That  is  true,  major,"  was  the  acting  captain's 
answer.  "  But  it's  only  when  it's  a  close  relative 
that  the  blow  really  comes  home  to  one,  you 
know." 

"  I  suppose  that  is  true,  captain.     But  don't  be 


90       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

disheartened.  It  may  be  that  your  brother  is  already 
back  at  Manila." 

"  I  can't  see  what  the  rebels  would  do  with  him 
as  a  prisoner,"  said  Gilbert.  "  They  have  to  move 
around  so  lively  that  I  can't  see  what  they  want 
with  prisoners  anyway." 

And  so  the  talk  ran  on  until  it  came  time  to  retire. 
That  night  Ben  slept  but  little,  and  it  was  not  the 
rain  or  the  aching  of  his  wound  that  kept  him  awake 
either.  He  was  bound  to  think  of  Larry  constantly 
until  something  was  heard  of  the  missing  lad. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  TAKING   OF  ANGAT 

'We  are  out  for  a  fight  to-day." 

It  was  Sergeant  Gilmore  who  spoke,  and  he 
addressed  Ben.  The  sergeant  was  still  acting  as 
first  lieutenant  of  Company  D,  and  it  looked  as  if  he 
might  hold  the  position  permanently.  As  for  Ben, 
it  was  settled  that  he  would  be  appointed  permanent 
captain  of  the  command  as  soon  as  the  necessary 
papers  could  be  made  out. 

The  regiment  had  joined  General  Lawton's  com- 
mand and  was  now  in  the  vicinity  of  Angat,  a  pretty 
town,  full  of  quaint  buildings,  and  a  place  which,  as 
yet,  the  rebellion  had  scarcely  touched.  But  the 
insurgents  had  been  developed  in  force  by  the  sharp- 
shooters in  front,  and  now  a  constant  rattle  of 
musketry  was  heard,  which  made  Ben's  blood  tingle 
as  of  old,  when  the  cry  had  been,  "  On  to  Santiago  !  " 
and  "  On  to  Malolos  !  " 

"  Yes,  you  are  right,  Gilmore,"  answered  the 
91 


92  THE  CAMPAIGN   OP  THE  JUNGLE 

young  captain.  "  And  I  am  not  sorry.  It  will  help 
us  to  forget  the  rain  and  our  other  discomforts." 
Ben  did  not  say  it  would  help  him  to  forget  about 
Larry,  but  that  is  what  he  meant. 

The  regiment  was  soon  advancing  on  the  double- 
quick.  It  was  spread  out  in  skirmish  order,  and  the 
route  lay  over  what  had  once  been  a  rice-field,  but 
which  was  but  little  more  than  a  sheet  of  dirty 
water  four  to  eight  inches  deep.  Here  and  there 
were  holes,  and  into  these  some  of  the  soldiers  would 
sometimes  step,  thus  getting  an  involuntary  bath, 
much  to  their  disgust. 

"  It  ain't  all  a  picnic,"  remarked  one  of  the  unfor- 
tunates, as  he  leaped  up  out  of  a  hole  and  shook 
himself  like  a  big  dog.  "Folks  at  home  as  just 
read  the  newspaper  accounts  of  the  war  don't  know 
anything  of  what  us  fellows  have  to  put  up  with. 
All  they  think  we  do  is  to  rush  forward,  kill  the 
enemy,  and  cover  ourselves  with  glory.  I'll  wager 
some  of  'em  would  put  on  a  mighty  sour  face  if  they 
had  to  tramp  ten  or  twenty  miles  in  the  mud  and 
wet,  carry  a  gun  and  other  luggage,  and  hardly 
knowing  when  the  next  meal  was  going  to  turn  up 
and  what  it  was  going  to  amount  to." 

"  Oh,  you've  got  'em  bad,  Bradner ! "  shouted  a 


THE   TAKING   OF   ANGAT  93 

comrade.  "Here,  light  my  pipe  and  take  a  smoke, 
It  will  dry  off  your  nose  if  nothing  else."  And 
Bradner  took  the  pipe  and  was  thankful  that  to- 
bacco, at  least,  was  still  forthcoming. 

Half  an  hour  later  Ben  received  orders  to  take  his 
company  up  to  the  firing  line,  and  away  went  the 
command  on  the  double-quick,  with  the  young 
captain  at  the  head.  The  rain  had  let  up  a  bit,  and 
the  rebels  could  be  seen  making  a  stand  behind  a 
grove  of  half-wild  plantains,  where  were  located  a 
score  of  nipa  huts. 

"  Run  them  out,  boys ! "  shouted  Ben,  as  they 
drew  closer.  "  If  we  go  at  them  with  a  rush  we'll 
soon  have  them  on  the  run ! "  And  on  swept  the 
company,  with  orders  to  fire  at  will.  Soon  there 
was  a  constant  cracking  of  rifles,  and  Ben  and  the 
other  officers  joined  in  with  their  pistols.  The 
insurgents  fired  in  return,  and  one  man  of  the 
company  fell  back,  hit  in  the  arm. 

Just  before  the  grove  was  gained  there  was 
a  brook  to  cross.  This  was  much  swollen,  and 
here  a  number  of  the  soldiers  came  to  a  halt, 
fearing  that  fording  was  out  of  the  question. 

"  Don't  stop  !  "  came  in  a  loud  cry  from  Major 
Morris.     "You  can  leap  the  stream  easily  enough. 


94       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Come,  I'm  going ! "  And  over  he  went  with 
a  bound,  and  a  score  of  soldiers  followed.  A  rak- 
ing fire  came  from  the  nipa  huts,  but  now  the 
rebels  were  seen  to  be  fleeing.  The  Americans 
answered  the  fire  with  volley  after  volley  from 
their  own  guns,  and  the  huts  were  surrounded  as 
quickly  as  possible. 

"  Captain  Russell,  you  will  take  the  trail  to  the 
left,"  said  an  orderly,  dashing  up.  "  Major  Morris 
will  rejoin  you  at  the  fork  in  the  road." 

"  The  trail  to  the  left,"  repeated  Ben,  and 
turned  to  his  company.  "Forward,  boys,  —  left 
oblique ! "  he  shouted,  and  on  they  went  again, 
past  the  nipa  huts  and  down  a  trail  leading  along 
the  edge  of  a  rich  plantation.  Several  more  huts 
were  passed,  but  the  inmates  were  nothing  but 
women  and  children,  and  offered  no  resistance. 
Then  at  a  distance  could  be  seen  a  stone  wall,  as 
if  the  insurgents  had  endeavored  to  construct  a 
rude  fortification  in  a  great  hurry. 

The  company  was  going  at  the  stone  wall  pell- 
mell  when  Ben  called  a  sudden  halt.  "To  the 
right,  boys,  and  come  at  the  end  of  the  wall," 
were  his  orders,  and  the  command  swept  around 
as  desired. 


THE   TAKING   OF   AJSTGAT  95 

Bang !  The  report  was  hardly  expected,  and 
with  it  half  a  dozen  of  the  stones  composing  the 
rude  fortification  gave  way,  disclosing  a  cannon 
made  of  a  bored-out  tree-trunk,  wound  round  and 
round  with  telegraph  wire  stolen  from  the  lines 
along  the  railroad.  This  wooden  cannon  had  been 
heavily  charged  with  cartridges,  old  nails,  and 
bits  of  iron,  and  the  first  discharge  rent  the  mouth 
into  a  dozen  pieces. 

"  That  was  a  narrow  shave ! "  cried  Gilmore,  as 
he  and  Ben  looked  around,  to  find  all  the  com- 
pany unharmed.  "Who  ever  supposed  the  rascals 
would  put  up  such  a  job  as  that  on  us?" 

"They'll  do  anything,"  replied  the  young  cap- 
tain. "  But  that  isn't  a  new  idea.  Wooden  can- 
nons were  used  in  the  Civil  War,  so  I've  been 
told." 

With  the  discharge  of  the  wooden  gun,  the 
rebels  concealed  behind  the  stone  fortification  had 
fled.  The  Americans  now  made  after  them,  more 
"  hot-footed "  than  ever,  and  the  incessant  crack 
of  firearms  was  followed  by  many  a  groan  and 
yell  of  pain  as  over  a  dozen  Filipinos  went  down, 
three  to  their  death. 

At  the   fork   mentioned  by   Major   Morris,   Ben 


96       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

brought  his  company  to  a  halt.  All  were  panting 
for  breath,  for  the  brush  at  close  quarters  had  put 
them  on  their  mettle.  The  rest  of  the  battalion 
soon  came  up,  and  the  other  battalions  followed, 
from  another  road,  and  then  the  regiment,  with 
the  other  troops,  pushed  on  into  Angat. 

Much  to  the  astonishment  of  all,  the  beautiful 
town,  with  its  century-old  churches  and  quaint  gov- 
ernment buildings,  was  found  practically  deserted. 
The  only  inhabitants  left  were  a  few  women  and 
a  handful  of  aged  men,  all  of  whom  said  they 
would  do  anything  for  the  Americanos  if  they  were 
spared  their  lives.  These  frightened  people  were 
soon  put  at  ease,  and  then  an  inspection  of  the 
captured  place  was  instituted. 

In  various  places,  such  as  the  vaults  of  convents 
and  government  buildings,  huge  quantities  of 
pilai,  that  is,  unhulled  rice,  were  found.  Some 
of  the  rice  was  confiscated  for  army  use,  and  a 
large  quantity  was  distributed  to  the  natives  who 
gradually  drifted  in,  saying  they  wanted  to  be 
friendly,  and  that  they  were  starving. 

"It  may  be  that  the  rice  we  give  away  may  go 
to  the  rebels,"  said  the  general  in  command.  "But 
we  can't  let  these  poor  wretches  starve,  war  or  no 


THE  TAKING   OF  ANGAT  97 

war ; "  and  so  the  bags  were  given  out  until  very- 
little  remained. 

It  was  not  General  Lawton's  intention  to  quar- 
ter at  Angat  for  any  length  of  time,  and,  having 
entered  the  town  in  the  morning,  he  left  it  in  the 
afternoon,  to  begin  an  advance  up  the  river  the 
next  day,  striking  San  Rafael  on  the  right  bank 
and  Muronco  on  the  left  bank. 

"  Somebody  has  set  Angat  on  fire ! "  exclaimed 
Ben,  as  the  regiment  marched  away.  A  thick 
column  of  smoke  had  suddenly  risen  from  the 
upper  end  of  the  town. 

"  I  don't  believe  it  was  our  men,"  answered 
Major  Morris,  who  walked  beside  the  young  cap- 
tain. "They  had  strict  orders  not  to  loot  or 
burn." 

The  flames  speedily  increased,  as  one  nipa  hut 
after  another  caught,  and  the  warehouses  added  to 
the  blaze.  The  Americans  always  thought  the 
rebels  started  this  conflagration,  while  the  insur- 
gents laid  the  crime  at  our  door.  However  it 
was,  Angat  burned  fiercely,  and  by  nightfall  little 
remained  of  its  many  picturesque  buildings. 

The  weather  was  beginning  to  tell  upon  the 
troops,  and  out  of  Ben's  regiment  fully  forty  men 


98       THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

were  on  the  sick  list,  with  either  colds  or  tropical 
fever,  and  these  had  to  be  sent  back  to  a  sick 
camp.  The  balance  of  the  command,  it  was  de- 
cided, should  join  the  troops  that  were  to  attack 
San  Rafael. 

As  before,  the  sharpshooters  were  in  front,  while 
the  infantry  were  escorted  by  Scott's  battery,  who, 
as  soon  as  the  enemy's  firing  line  was  located, 
began  to  pour  in  a  hot  fire  of  shrapnel,  much  to 
the  latter's  discomfiture.  Then  Ben's  regiment 
went  into  action  once  more,  the  young  captain's 
company  on  the  edge  of  some  heavy  brush. 

The  sharp  clip,  clip  of  Mauser  bullets  made  un- 
pleasant music  as  the  soldier  boys  rushed  through  the 
thickets,  to  surprise  not  a  few  Filipinos  who  were 
in  hiding,  and  who  imagined  that  the  Americans 
would  pass  them  by  unnoticed.  Once  Ben  came 
upon  a  man  lying  on  his  face  in  a  mass  of  tall 
grass,  every  part  of  his  body  concealed  but  his 
back. 

"  Can  he  be  dead  ? "  thought  the  young  captain, 
when  of  a  sudden  the  native  leaped  up  like  light- 
ning and  darted  behind  the  nearest  bushes  before 
anybody  could  stop  him.  Half  a  dozen  soldiers 
fired  on  him,  and  he  fired  in  return,  but  none  of 


THE  TAKING   OF   ANGAT  99 

the  shots  took  effect ;  and  Ben  could  not  but 
think  that  the  poor  creature  had  earned  his  es- 
cape. "For  ten  chances  to  one  he  doesn't  know 
what  he  is  fighting  about,"  he  said  to  Gilmore. 

"  Right  you  are,"  answered  the  lieutenant.  "  I 
believe  if  we  could  corral  the  whole  crowd  and 
explain  the  true  situation  to  them,  they  would 
throw  down  their  arms  without  hesitation.  It  is 
only  the  leaders  who  are  keeping  this  rebellion 
alive." 

Over  near  the  battery  just  mentioned  stood  Gen- 
eral Lawton,  tall  and  erect,  directing  every  move- 
ment, without  a  single  thought  of  personal  danger. 
Many  a  shot  was  directed  at  him,  but  he  seemed 
to  bear  a  charmed  life. 

"  San  Rafael  will  soon  be  ours,"  said  one  of  the 
officers  of  the  staff.  "  See,  the  enemy  are  retreat- 
ing !  "  he  cried  enthusiastically. 

At  that  moment  an  orderly  dashed  up,  carrying 
an  order  from  General  Otis.  The  order  read  that 
the  column  must  rest  at  Angat  until  supplies  could 
be  forwarded  from  Malolos.  A  shadow  fell  over 
the  commander's  face.  Another  victory  was  at 
hand  —  but  orders  were  orders,  and  must  be  obeyed. 
Slowly  the  retreat  was  sounded,  and  the  insurgents 


100      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

were  left  in  possession  of  the  field.  They  thought 
the  Americans  were  being  forced  back  on  account 
of  a  heavy  loss,  and  went  almost  wild  with  delight, 
proclaiming  the  encounter  a  great  victory  for  the 
Filipino  cause. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   CROSSING   OF  THE  RIO   GRANDE  RIVER 

"For  gracious'  sake,  what  did  we  want  to  re- 
treat for  ?  "  demanded  Ben,  as  soon  as  the  command 
halted  and  Major  Morris  had  come  within  speak- 
ing distance.  The  young  captain  had  been  at  the 
very  front  of  the  firing  line,  and  had  seen  that 
complete  victory  was  only  the  work  of  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  or  less. 

"  Orders  from  general  headquarters,"  replied  the 
major,  in  a  low  tone.  "  I  fancy  the  staff  is  pretty 
angry,  too,"  he  added. 

"  We  could  have  whipped  them  with  ease." 

"So  we  could,  captain,  but  — "  And  Major 
Morris  finished  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoulders 
which  meant  a  good  deal. 

"  I  don't  believe  General  Otis  would  have  given 
such  an  order  had  he  been  here  to  see  what  was 
going  on,"  continued   Ben,  earnestly. 

"Well,  we're  ordered  back  to  Angat,  and  that 
101 


102  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE   JUNGLE 

is  all  there  is  to  it.  The  army  must  have  supplies, 
you  know." 

"  Hang  the  supplies ! "  muttered  Gilmore,  but 
under  his  breath.  "  We  can  get  all  the  supplies 
we  want  as  we  go  along."  And  Ben  was  rather 
inclined  to  agree  with  him. 

There  was  no  help,  however,  for  the  turn  in 
the  situation  ;  and  with  crestfallen  faces  the  soldiers 
moved  still  further  back  and  went  into  temporary 
camp.  Only  a  few  had  suffered,  and  the  wounded 
ones  were  promptly  cared  for  by  the  hospital  corps. 

"  And  how  do  you  feel  ?  "  asked  Gilbert,  as  he 
came  up  to  see  Ben.     "  Does  the  wound  hurt  still  ?  " 

"  It  itches,  that's  all,"  answered  Ben.  "  But  this 
retreat  —  " 

"  Makes  one  feel  sore  all  over,  doesn't  it  ? "  fin- 
ished the  young  Southerner.  "  I  must  say  I  don't 
understand  it  at  all.  If  we  are  going  to  round  up 
any  of  these  rebels,  we  can't  do  it  by  falling  back 
and  waiting  for  supplies." 

Impatient  as  they  were,  however,  the  troops  had 
to  wait  for  two  days  before  another  movement 
was  made.  During  this  time  supplies  were  hurried 
forward  in  large  quantities,  that  there  might  be 
no  more  delays  in  the  future. 


THE   CROSSING   OF   THE   RIO   GRANDE   RIVER      103 

In  the  meantime  the  troops  under  General  Mac- 
Arthur  were  by  no  means  idle.  They  consisted 
of  two  brigades,  that  of  General  Hale  on  the  right 
wing,  and  that  of  General  Wheaton  on  the  left 
wing.  Of  these  troops  the  first  advance  was  by 
some  men  of  the  Fourth  Cavalry,  who  went  for- 
ward to  reconnoitre  the  enemy's  position  near 
Quingua.  The  start  was  made  during  the  early 
morning,  and  before  long  the  insurgents  opened  a 
heavy  fire  which  the  Americans  returned  with  diffi- 
culty, as  the  rebels  were  well  concealed  by  the 
tall  grass  and  their  intrenchments.  To  aid  the 
cavalry  a  number  of  other  troops  were  hurried 
forward,  also  several  field-pieces ;  and  in  the  end 
the  Filipinos  were  forced  from  their  position,  with 
a  heavy  loss.  In  this  battle  the  Americans  lost 
six  killed  and  forty  wounded.  Among  the  killed 
was  Colonel  Stotsenburg,  commanding  the  First 
Nebraska  Volunteers,  who,  after  most  gallantly 
leading  his  men,  was  shot  down  in  the  final  rush 
upon  the  enemy's  earthworks. 

From  Quingua  the  whole  of  General  Hale's  brig- 
ade moved  down  the  Quingua  River  to  Pulilan. 
Here  no  resistance  was  encountered,  and  after  a 
brief  rest  the  brigade  pushed  on  toward  Logundi. 


104      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

That  town  was  not  yet  reached  when  the  advance 
guard  reported  a  breastwork  across  the  main  road, 
running  to  the  river  on  the  west  and  into  the  jungle 
on  the  east. 

"  Never  mind,  we'll  go  ahead  anyhow !  "  shouted 
the  soldiers  of  the  Nebraska  regiment ;  and  go  ahead 
they  did,  with  the  South  Dakota  and  Iowa  troops 
beside  them,  and  several  guns  of  the  Sixth  Artillery 
protecting  their  advance.  The  fi^ht  at  the  earth- 
works was  a  fierce  one,  some  of  the  Filipinos  refus- 
ing to  surrender  even  when  they  knew  they  were 
beaten ;  and  as  a  consequence  many  of  them  were 
slain  whose  lives  might  otherwise  have  been  spared 
to  them. 

A  short  distance  to  the  northwest  of  Logundi,  the 
Quingua  and  the  Bagbag  rivers  join  in  flowing  into 
the  Calumpit.  The  railroad  crosses  the  Bagbag  but 
a  short  distance  away,  and  at  this  point  General 
Hale's  command  reunited  with  that  of  General 
Wheaton,  which  had  come  up  along  the  tracks  from 
Malolos  without  difficulty.  General  Wheaton  had 
with  him  the  troops  from  Montana  and  Kansas, 
some  Utah  artillery,  and  one  or  two  other  com- 
mands, along  with  two  armored  cars,  fitted  out  with 
Gatling  and  Hotchkiss  guns  and  six-pounders. 


THE  CROSSING  OF   THE  RIO  GRANDE   RIVER      105 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  rebels  had  built 
strong  breastworks  in  a  semicircle  along  the  north 
bank  of  the  Bagbag  and  the  western  bank  of  the 
Calumpit  Rivers,  and  had  injured  the  railroad  track 
for  a  distance  of  several  hundred  yards,  and  also  the 
bridge  spanning  the  river.  As  the  approach  to  both 
rivers  was  largely  an  open  one,  how  to  dislodge  the 
Filipinos  became  a  serious  problem. 

"  Forward  with  the  armored  cars  !  "  was  the  cry, 
and  they  were  rushed  ahead  as  far  as  the  torn-up 
condition  of  the  railroad  tracks  admitted.  A  can- 
nonading lasting  for  half  an  hour  followed,  in  which 
one  of  the  batteries  on  the  highway  also  took  part. 
The  aim  of  the  gunners  was  good,  and  soon  the 
insurgents  were  seen  to  be  pouring  from  the 
trenches,  which  were  getting  too  hot  to  hold  them. 
Yet  a  fair  number  held  their  ground,  and  when  the 
troops  on  foot  advanced  they  opened  a  blistering 
fire  which  laid  not  a  few  Americans  low.  But  the 
victory  was  ours,  and  soon  the  followers  of  Old 
Glory  were  wading  or  swimming  the  river,  while 
the  engineering  corps  set  to  work  to  repair  the 
damage  done  to  railroad  and  bridge,  so  that  the 
armored  and  baggage  cars  might  pass  through. 

The   cry  was   now,  "  On  to   Calumpit !  "   which 


106  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

town  lies  on  the  Calumpit  River,  and  is  divided  into 
two  parts  by  another  stream,  called  the  Rio  Grande. 
It  was  fonnd  that  the  insurgents  had  practically 
deserted  the  lower  half  of  the  town,  but  had  in- 
trenchments  on  the  upper  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande 
which  were  even  more  formidable  than  those  taken 
on  the  Bagbag.  Here  the  rebels  had  also  a  Maxim 
and  other  guns,  and  it  seemed  as  if  for  once  the 
advance  of  the  Americans  was  thoroughly  blocked. 
Numerous  good  positions  along  the  south  bank  of 
the  river  were  held  by  our  troops,  but  it  looked  as 
if  they  could  not  get  over  the  stream  without  a 
tremendous  loss  of  life. 

It  is  said  that  the  opportunity  makes  the  man, 
and  in  this  instance  the  saying  proved  a  true  one. 
With  the  soldiers  under  General  Wheaton  were  the 
Twentieth  Kansas  Volunteers,  who  had  already 
made  a  record  for  themselves  at  Malolos  and  else- 
where, as  related  in  a  previous  volume  of  this 
series.  They  were  commanded  by  Colonel  Fred- 
erick Funston,  a  man  comparatively  young  in  years 
and  small  in  stature,  but  one  who  was  daring  to  the 
last  degree,  and  who  had  seen  much  of  fighting  and 
hardships  during  his  adventurous  existence.  In 
Cuba,   Funston    had  fought  most  valiantly  under 


THE   CROSSING   OF   THE   RIO   GRANDE   RIVER      107 

Garcia  for  Cuban  liberty  long  before  any  interfer- 
ence by  llie  United  States. 

To  Colonel,  afterward  Brigadier  General,  Funston 
belongs  the  honor  of  the  passage  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
for  it  was  he  who  planned  what  was  done,  and  he 
and  a  score  of  his  fighting  Kansans  who  carried  it 
out.  The  daring  of  the  scheme  is  one  which  will 
live  long  in  American  history. 

As  before  mentioned,  the  bridge  was  partly 
broken,  but  enough  remained  for  the  passage  of  sol- 
diers who  could  climb  from  one  iron  cross-section  to 
another.  At  first  it  was  hoped  that  a  body  might 
go  over  the  bridge  in  the  dark,  raise  a  great  commo- 
tion, and  cause  the  Filipinos  a  panic.  This  scheme 
was  tried,  but  it  failed;  for  the  enemy  was  on  strict 
guard,  and  would  have  shot  down  the  men  as  rapidly 
as  they  appeared  on  the  bridge. 

Colonel  Funston  then  proposed  to  go  down  the 
river  bank  for  a  considerable  distance,  build  rafts, 
and,  by  means  of  a  stout  rope,  ferry  some  of  the  best 
of  his  men  across  the  stream  in  the  dark.  The 
landing  of  the  men  was  to  be  covered  by  the  heavi- 
est possible  fire  from  the  American  side,  and,  as  soon 
as  they  were  safe  ashore,  the  Kansas  soldiers  were  to 
secure  some  position  where  they  might  enfilade  the 


108  THE  CAMPAIGN   OP  THE  JUNGLE 

enemy's  trenches,  that  is,  fire  through  them  from 
one  end,  so  that  the  Filipinos  might  no  longer  find 
them  safe.  In  the  meantime  more  troops  were  to 
come  over  with  all  possible  speed. 

On  the  way  down  the  stream  the  Kansas  soldiers 
demolished  several  huts,  selecting  the  best  of  the 
timber  with  which  to  build  their  rafts.  The  moon 
was  under  a  cloud,  and  it  looked  as  if  they  might 
get  across  the  river  without  serious  trouble. 

But  as  the  crowd  were  constructing  their  rafts 
and  getting  their  ferry  rope  ready  for  use,  the  moon 
came  out  brightly;  and  very  soon  the  insurgents 
became  suspicious  and  fired  on  the  Americans,  who 
were  forced  to  retreat  to  the  nearest  shelter.  The 
firing  kept  up  the  greater  part  of  two  hours,  and  at 
last  the  plan  to  cross  over  that  night  was  aban- 
doned. 

But  the  Kansas  colonel  and  his  gallant  men  had 
determined  to  be  the  first  into  the  enemy's  camp, 
and  once  again  they  went  to  the  spot  previously 
selected,  but  this  time  in  the  broad  daylight,  when 
they  might  clearly  see  the  shore  opposite.  No 
insurgents  were  in  sight ;  and,  after  having  made 
three  rafts  all  right  and  tight,  the  rope  was  brought 
forth,  and  two  men,  named  White   and  Trembly, 


THE  CROSSING   OF   THE  RIO   GRANDE   RIVER      109 

were  asked  to  carry  it  across  the  stream.  The  sol- 
diers plunged  into  the  water  without  delay,  being 
watched  by  hundreds  of  their  comrades  left  behind. 
The  men  were  without  their  uniforms  or  weapons  of 
any  kind. 

Slowly  the  pair  swam  the  turbulent  waters  of  the 
stream,  and  hardly  had  they  gotten  fifty  feet  from 
shore  when  the  rebels  opened  fire  upon  them,  at  first 
a  few  scattering  shots  and  then  a  perfect  volley. 
That  the  swimmers  escaped  is  little  short  of  a  mira- 
cle. But  they  remained  untouched,  and,  gaining  the 
opposite  bank,  they  ran  forward  and  tied  the  rope's 
end  to  a  tree-stump.  In  the  meantime  two  other 
soldiers  started  over  the  Rio  Grande  in  a  dugout, 
bat  this  upset  and  let  the  men  into  the  water,  and 
they  had  to  swim  as  had  the  others.  But  they 
landed  with  their  guns  intact,  and  at  once  opened 
fire  at  the  nearest  natives  that  showed  themselves. 

All  this  had  happened  with  great  rapidity,  and  now 
the  first  raft  was  coming  across  the  river,  loaded 
with  Kansas  soldiers  officered  by  Colonel  Funston 
himself.  The  raft  became  the  target  for  the  hottest 
kind  of  fire,  and  as  the  ferrying  had  to  be  done  by 
the  soldiers  pulling  along  the  rope  stretched  from 
shore  to  shore,  the  passage  was  as  slow  as  it  was  dan- 


110  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

gerous.  But  the  soldiers  on  the  craft  went  over  in 
safety,  and  soon  more  followed,  until  over  fifty  were 
on  the  beach  fronting  the  enemy's  intrenchments. 
Then,  with  a  wild  yelling,  to  give  the  rebels  the 
impression  that  a  large  body  had  come  over,  they 
pushed  forward  to  enfilade  the  enemy's  trenches  as 
first  proposed. 

But  now  another  difficulty  arose.  There  was  a 
small  stream  flowing  into  the  Rio  Grande  near  this 
spot,  and  this  had  to  be  crossed  before  the  fire  of 
the  Americans  could  be  made  effective.  How  to 
get  across  was  a  problem,  as  the  insurgents  had  a 
machine  gun  trained  on  the  spot.  This  worked  for 
a  while  and  then  stopped ;  and  in  the  lull  Colonel 
Funston  secured  a  rowboat  and  went  over  with  some 
of  his  men,  and  the  others  soon  followed. 

The  Filipinos  were  now  thoroughly  frightened,  for 
the  Americans  were  making  a  great  outcry  down  by 
the  railroad  bridge,  and  they  imagined  that  they  were 
to  be  attacked  from  several  points  at  once.  Some 
started  to  run,  and  as  soon  as  Colonel  Funston's  men 
began  to  rain  their  bullets  into  the  long  trenches, 
more  followed,  until  the  enemy  was  in  a  panic. 
Then  the  Americans  began  to  cross  the  bridge  and 
stream  in  great  numbers,  and  the  Filipinos,  although 


THE   CROSSING   OF   THE   EIO   GRANDE   RIVER      11? 

reenforced  by  a  body  of  Macabebes  just  at  thig 
time,  could  not  make  an  effective  stand.  Calumpit 
was  left  behind,  and  a  running  fight  ensued  which 
ended  at  Apalit,  when  a  violent  tropical  thunder- 
storm put  an  end  to  the  day's  operations.  It  was 
thought  that  the  rebels'  headquarters  would  be  found 
at  Apalit;  but  this  had,  at  the  last  moment,  been 
removed  to  San  Isidro,  toward  which  General  Law- 
ton  was  now  advancing. 


CHAPTER  XII 

SOMETHING  ABOUT  A  POISONED  WELL 

After  the  rest  at  Angat,  the  taking  of  San  Rafael 
by  General  Lawton's  troops  was  an  easy  matter,  and 
on  May  1  —  the  anniversary  of  Admiral  Dewey's 
great  victory  in  Manila  Bay  —  the  soldiers  set  out  for 
the  town  of  Baliuag,  five  miles  to  the  northward. 

In  spite  of  the  recent  rain,  the  road  was  hard  and 
even  dusty  in  spots.  The  heat  was  still  as  great  as 
ever,  and  Ben  was  glad  to  take  the  benefit  of  any 
shade  that  afforded  itself  as  he  marched  along  at  the 
head  of  his  command.  The  date  made  him  think 
of  the  battle  just  mentioned,  and  this  brought  him 
around  to  Larry  once  more,  and  he  began  to  wonder 
if  his  brother  would  ever  turn  up  again. 

"I  suppose  I'll  have  to  write  to  Walter  and  to 
Uncle  Job  about  this,"  he  muttered  dismally.  "  But 
I  hate  to  do  it,  especially  if  Larry  does  turn  up,  for 
I  know  it  will  worry  both  of  them  greatly." 

The  road  was  thick  with  palms  and  plantains  and 
112 


SOMETHING   ABOUT  A  POISONED   WELL        113 

trailing  plants,  the  latter  of  gorgeous  colorings. 
Nipa  huts  and  bamboo  cottages  were  numerous,  but 
the  inmates  kept  themselves  well  hidden  as  the  little 
army  passed  by.  In  the  distance  were  paddy-fields 
and  cane-brakes,  and  along  the  road  were  numerous 
mud-holes,  some  of  which  had  to  be  bridged  over 
before  the  artillery  could  pass  in  safety.  More  than 
once  horses  and  cannon  got  stuck,  and  many  a  shoul- 
der had  to  be  put  to  the  pieces  to  budge  them. 

"  If  there  was  no  war,  this  would  be  a  delightful 
spot  in  which  to  spend  a  vacation,"  remarked  Gilbert, 
who  had  come  up  for  a  little  talk,  as  was  his  habit 
when  they  were  pushing  ahead  in  irregular  for- 
mation. "  I  reckon  the  natives  take  solid  comfort  in 
their  homes." 

"  I  suppose  it  puts  you  in  mind  of  the  South  at 
home,"  returned  Ben,  with  a  smile.  "  It  is  nice,  cer- 
tainly. But  I  fancy  this  continual  heat  would  make 
one  mighty  lazy  in  time." 

"Well,  the  natives  are  lazy,  you  can  easily  see 
that,"  laughed  the  young  Southerner.  "I  wish  I 
could  get  a  good  drink  of  water,"  he  added,  a  minute 
later. 

They  soon  came  to  a  pretty  dwelling,  set  in  a  per- 
fect wilderness  of  flowers  and  shrubs.     Toward  the 


114  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

side  they  made  out  a  well,  and  ran  forward  to  fill 
their  canteens. 

The  pair  were  at  the  well  when  a  shrill  cry  from  one 
of  the  side  rooms  of  the  house  attracted  their  atten- 
tion. Looking-  up,  they  saw  a  native  girl  waving 
her  hand  frantically  at  them.  The  girl  was  nicely 
dressed  and  evidently  belonged  to  the  better  classes. 

"  We  only  want  a  drink  !  "  shouted  Ben,  thinking 
that  the  maiden  might  imagine  they  had  come  into 
the  garden  to  steal. 

But  the  girl  shouted  more  loudly  than  ever,  and 
waved  them  away  from  the  well.  "  Bad  !  bad  !  " 
she  cried. 

"  Oh,  no,  we  are  not  so  bad  as  you  think,"  Gilbert 
shouted  back ;  and  was  about  to  take  a  drink  from  a 
cocoanut-shell  dipper  which  hung  handy,  when  the 
girl  came  out  of  the  cottage  on  a  run  and  dashed  the 
dipper  to  the  ground.  At  the  same  time  an  evil- 
looking  Filipino  appeared  at  the  doorway,  shook  his 
fist  at  the  girl,  and  then  suddenly  ran  for  the  barns 
behind  the  dwelling  and  disappeared. 

"  I  want  a  drink  and  I'm  going  to  have  it,"  began 
Gilbert,  sternly,  for  he  did  not  like  the  manner  in 
which  the  water  had  been  spilt  over  his  clothing. 
"If  you  —  " 


"  The  well  is  poisoned  !  don"t  drink  !  it  will   kill  you  !  " 
—  Page  115. 


SOMETHING  ABOUT  A  POISONED   WELL       115 

"  The  well  is  poisoned ;  don't  drink,  it  will  kill 
you  !  "  gasped  the  girl,  in  Spanish. 

As  old  readers  know,  Gilbert  understood  a  little 
of  the  language,  having  picked  it  up  while  on  a  trip 
to  Cuba,  and  also  while  serving  as  a  Rough  Rider  in 
that  island.  He  started  back  and  caught  the  maiden 
by  the  arm. 

"  Poisoned  !  you  are  certain  ?  "  he  cried. 

"  Yes,  senor ;  my  uncle  put  the  poison  in  only 
yesterday.  He  lost  much  at  Angat,  and  he  is  very 
angry  at  the  Americanos  in  consequence.  He  knew 
the  soldiers  were  coming  this  way,  and  he  wanted  to 
poison  as  many  as  he  could.  He  put  a  water-barrel 
down  on  the  road  full  of  the  poisoned  water,  too." 

"  Who  is  your  uncle,  the  man  who  just  ran  off  ?  " 

"  Yes,  senor.  But,  oh,  do  not  go  after  him,  I  pray 
you  !  "  cried  the  girl,  in  high  alarm.  "  I  would  not 
have  spoken,  but  I  could  not  see  you  poisoned  before 
my  very  eyes ;  no,  not  that  !  " 

As  quickly  as  he  could,  Gilbert  translated  her 
words  to  Ben,  who  listened  in  amazement. 

"  The  villain  !  "  ejaculated  the  young  captain. 
"  I've  heard  of  this  sort  of  thing  being  done  before. 
I  wonder  where  that  barrel  is  that  she  spoke  about  ? 
We  must  find  it  and  empty  it  of  its  contents.'* 


116  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Gilbert  put  the  question  to  the  girl,  who  announced 
that  the  barrel  was  on  another  road  back  of  the 
plantation.  Whether  any  of  the  soldiers  had  reached 
it  or  not  was  a  question. 

As  quickly  as  he  could  Ben  reported  the  situation 
to  his  superior,  and  received  orders  to  divide  his 
company,  leaving  a  part  to  guard  the  poisoned  well 
so  that  no  Americans  might  drink  from  it,  while  the 
rest  should  go  and  hunt  up  the  water-barrel.  Gil- 
bert was  detailed  to  accompany  Ben,  and  the  girl 
was  given  to  understand  that  she  must  take  the 
soldiers  to  where  the  barrel  had  been  set  up. 

At  first  the  maiden  demurred  ;  but  there  was  no 
help  for  it,  and  the  kind  smiles  which  Gilbert  and 
Ben  gave  her  were  an  assurance  that  no  harm  was 
about  to  befall  her.  Yet  she  was  afraid  that  when 
the  reckoning  came  her  uncle  would  deal  harshly 
with  her,  and  trembled  violently  as  she  moved 
through  the  rice-fields  with  the  two  young  officers 
beside  her. 

The  little  command  had  nearly  reached  the  back 
road  when  the  report  of  a  gun  rang  out,  coming 
from  the  direction  of  a  wood  behind  the  rice-fields. 
The  bullet  sped  past  Ben's  shoulder,  to  bury  itself  in 
the  fleshy  part  of  one  of  his  private's  arms. 


SOMETHING   ABOUT  A  POISONED  WELL       117 

"  'Tis  my  uncle  !  "  cried  the  girl.  "  Oh,  he  will 
kill  us  all,  I  am  sure  of  it !  "  And  she  became  so 
agitated  that  she  sank  down  and  could  not  go 
another  step. 

Without  hesitation,  Ben  ordered  his  men  forward 
on  the  run,  and  away  went  the  detachment  for  the 
spot  from  whence  the  unexpected  shot  had  come. 
As  the  soldiers  neared  the  wood  they  beheld  a  Fili- 
pino in  the  act  of  running  across  a  small  opening. 

"  That's  him,  the  rascal !  "  roared  Dan  Casey,  and 
taking  a  hasty  aim  he  fired,  and  the  rebel  was  seen 
to  plunge  forward  on  his  face.  When  the  party 
came  up  they  found  that  the  man  had  been  hit  in 
the  hip,  and  that  the  wound,  while  not  necessarily 
dangerous,  was  serious,  and  would  put  the  fellow  out 
of  the  contest  for  several  months. 

"  It  serves  him  right,"  said  Ben.  "  Poisoning 
drinking  water  is  not  fair  fighting." 

The  girl  soon  came  up,  crying  bitterly.  She 
wished  to  remain  by  her  uncle,  but  Ben  made  her 
understand  that  she  must  point  out  the  water-barrel 
first,  and  after  that  he  would  have  two  soldiers 
remove  the  wounded  man  to  the  cottage. 

Ten  minutes  later  the  rear  road  was  gained,  and 
here  the  water-barrel  was  found,  set  up  on  end,  with 


218      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

the  top  knocked  out.  It  was  three-quarters  full  of 
water,  and  a  dozen  or  more  soldiers  were  drinking 
and  filling  their  canteens. 

"  Stop  drinking  !  "  ordered  Ben,  when  still  at  a 
distance.  "  That  water  has  been  doctored  and  will 
make  you  sick."  He  refrained  from  saying  the 
water  was  poisoned  for  fear  of  creating  a  panic. 

The  water  was  at  once  poured  out  on  the  ground 
and  the  barrel  smashed  up.  Then  a  surgeon  was 
found,  to  whom  Ben  related  the  facts  of  the  case. 
A  canteen  of  the  water  was  examined,  and  the 
surgeon  decided  to  give  the  man  who  had  drunk 
the  stuff  an  emetic.  A  few  of  the  soldiers  were 
taken  with  cramps  inside  of  an  hour  afterward,  and 
two  of  them  were  seriously  sick  for  a  week  ;  but  no 
lives  were  lost.  But  if  the  soldiers  could  have  got 
at  the  Filipino  who  had  poisoned  the  water,  they 
would  have  shot  him  on  the  spot. 

As  soon  as  the  danger  was  over,  Ben  returned  to 
the  wood,  and  had  two  men  carry  the  wounded  man 
back  to  the  cottage,  where  he  was  left  in  charge  of  his 
wife  and  his  niece.  Through  Gilbert  it  was  learned 
that  the  wife  had  also  remonstrated  against  using 
the  poison,  so  it  was  fair  to  suppose  that  the  aunt 
would  protect  her  niece  to  a  certain  degree.     "  But 


SOMETHING   ABOUT   A   POISONED   WELL        119 

she'll  have  a  hard  time  of  it  for  doing  us  a  service, 
I'm  afraid,"  said  the  young  Southerner,  as  he  and 
Ben  resumed  the  march. 

The  scouts,  under  Chief  Young,  were  in  advance, 
and  now  a  steady  firing  from  the  front  told  that 
another  battle  was  at  hand.  Soon  General  Lawton 
came  dashing  through  the  crowd  on  the  road,  fol- 
lowed by  his  staff. 

"  Forward,  boys  !  "  was  the  cry,  and  then  Ben's 
command  left  the  road  and  took  to  the  rice-fields  on 
the  outskirts  of  Baliuag.  The  line  was  a  long  one, 
with  the  Oregon  and  Minnesota  soldiers  forming  the 
skirmishing  end,  and  Scott's  battery  in  a  paddy-field 
on  the  extreme  right.  So  far  the  insurgents  had 
kept  well  hidden  ;  but  as  the  Americans  drew  closer 
to  the  town  they  could  be  seen  running  in  half  a 
dozen  directions,  as  if  undecided  whether  to  fight  or 
to  flee. 

The  townspeople  themselves  were  in  a  panic,  and 
down  the  streets  ran  Filipinos  and  Chinese,  some  with 
their  household  effects  piled  high .  on  their  backs. 
They  had  heard  of  the  coming  of  the  Americanos, 
but  had  hoped  almost  against  hope  that  their  beloved 
town  would  be  passed  by  unmolested. 

Ben's  regiment  was  moving  along  rapidly  when 


120  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

they  came  to  a  ditch  which  seemed  to  divide  the 
rice-field  in  half.  A  short  pause  followed,  when 
along  came  the  cry  of  "  Down  !  "  and  every  man 
dropped,  and  none  too  soon,  for  the  insurgents 
had  opened  up  unexpectedly  from  a  cane-brake 
behind  the  rice-field. 

"  We  must  take  that  cane-brake,"  came  the  order 
from  the  colonel,  and  the  word  was  passed  along 
quickly,  and  away  went  the  companies  with  a 
ringing  cheer,  firing  as  they  ran,  and  reloading 
with  all  possible  speed. 

Ben  was  now  truly  in  his  element,  and,  waving 
his  sword,  he  urged  Company  D  well  to  the  front, 
so  that  the  cane  was  soon  reached.  But  the  rebels 
were  not  game  for  a  hand-to-hand  encounter  and 
fled  once  more,  through  the  cane  and  over  a  field 
of  heavy  grass  leading  to  the  very  outskirts  of  the 
town  beyond. 

"  They  are  running  away  !  "  was  the  cry.  "  On 
we  go,  boys,  and  the  town  will  be  ours  in  less 
than  half  an  hour." 

But  now  a  halt  was  ordered,  on  the  edge  of  the 
cane-brake.  From  the  outskirts  of  the  town  ap- 
peared a  Filipino  waving  a  white  rag  over  his 
head. 


SOMETHING   ABOUT  A   POISONED   WELL       121 

"  Flag  of  truce  ! "  cried  the  American  general. 
"  Cease  firing ! "  And  the  order  was  instantly 
obeyed.  "  Major  Morris,  you  can  select  a  detail 
of  three  men  and  find  out  what  they  want." 

"I  will,  general,"  answered  the  major  of  the 
first  battalion,  and  saluted.  He  had  soon  chosen 
his  men,  one  of  whom  was  Gilbert  Pennington, 
and,  waving  a  white  flag  before  them,  the  party  of 
four  advanced  into  the  open  field. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

IN  WHICH  A  FLAG   OF  TKTTCE  IS   FIRED  UPON 

Major  Morris  well  knew  the  wiliness  of  the 
Filipinos,  yet  he  did  not  doubt  but  that  they 
would  pay  due  respect  to  a  flag  of  truce  which 
they  had  themselves  invited.  Accordingly  he  ad- 
vanced boldly  with  his  little  party,  until  the  four 
had  covered  fully  one-half  of  the  distance  which 
separated  the  American  troops  from  the  point 
where  the  rebels  had  taken  a  stand. 

"  He  is  thrustin'  thim  a  whole  lot ! "  groaned 
Dan  Casey,  who  was  the  closest  man  in  the  ranks 
to  Ben.     "  If  he  gits  plugged  —  " 

"They  won't  dare  to  fire,  Dan,"  said  a  com- 
panion.    "If  they  did  —  " 

The  speech  was  cut  short  by  the  pop  of  a 
Mauser  rifle,  followed  by  two  more  pops,  and  the 
private  who  carried  the  white  flag  was  seen  to 
fling  the  banner  down  and  fall  headlong.      In  the 

122 


IN  WHICH   A  FLAG   OF   TRUCE  IS   FIRED   UPON     123 

meantime,  the  Filipinos  who  had  appeared  with 
the  white  rag  were  running  back  to  their  own 
ranks  with  all  possible  speed. 

"  They  have  fired  on  the  flag  of  truce  !  "  The 
cry  arose  from  a  hundred  throats,  and  then  a 
scattering  volley  rang  out.  At  the  same  time  the 
Filipinos  opened  up  in  a  body,  and  Major  Morris, 
Gilbert,  and  the  third  man  were  seen  to  pitch 
into  the  tall  grass  in  such  a  manner  that  they 
were  almost  hidden  from  view. 

"  Gilbert  is  shot !  And  Major  Morris  too ! " 
Such  was  the  painful  thought  which  ran  through 
Ben's  brain.     He  looked  at  the  colonel  pleadingly. 

"Advance  at  once,  Captain  Russell,  with  the 
first  battalion,  to  the  rescue  of  the  flag  of  truce," 
ordered  the  colonel,  understanding  him  fully. 
"After  this,  give  the  enemy  no  quarter." 

"  Forward,  men,  to  the  rescue  !  "  shouted  the 
young  captain,  almost  before  his  superior  had  fin- 
ished. "  Deploy  to  the  left  and  fire  at  will.  And 
make  every  shot  tell !  "  he  added  bitterly. 

"  Forward  it  is  !  "  shouted  Dan  Casey.  "  Down 
wid  the  hay  thins  that  don't  know  the  manin'  av 
honor !  "  And  he  led  in  the  rush  over  the  long 
grass. 


124      THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

The  whole  line  was  soon  advancing,  but  Ben's 
company  was  in  front,  and  kept  there  until  within 
a  hundred  feet  of  where  the  four  men  had  gone 
down.  Then,  to  his  amazement,  the  young  captain 
saw  Major  Morris  leap  up,  followed  by  Gilbert 
and  the  third  soldier,  and  run  with  all  speed 
toward  the  American  line. 

"  Not  shot !  "  cried  Ben,  joyfully.  "  Heaven  be 
thanked  for  that !  "  And  he  almost  felt  like 
embracing  his  two  friends.  Only  the  flag-bearer 
had  been  struck,  and  he  not  seriously.  The  others 
had  gone  down  in  the  long  grass  to  destroy  the 
enemy's  aim.  The  wounded  flag-carrier  was  taken 
to  the  rear,  and  then  the  whole  line  pushed  on 
with  a  yell  which  was  as  savage  as  it  was  loud 
and  long.  The  incident,  short  as  it  was,  was  not 
forgotten,  and  when  one  end  of  the  American  line 
closed  in  on  the  retreating  insurgents  the  latter 
fought  to  the  last,  knowing  only  too  well  that 
little  quarter  would  be  given  to  them  because  of 
their  perfidy. 

The  long  American  line  had  swung  toward  Baliuag 
in  a  semicircle,  and  now,  when  the  insurgents  tried 
to  flee  by  way  of  the  north,  they  found  themselves 
confronted  front  and  rear.     This  put  them  in  more 


IN  WHICH   A  FLAG   OF   TRUCE   IS  FIRED   UPON     125 

of  a  panic  than  ever ;  and  had  General  Lawton  had  a 
thousand  additional  troops,  it  is  more  than  likely  he 
could  have  surrounded  the  rebels  completely  and 
compelled  every  one  in  that  territory  to  throw  down 
his  arms. 

But  he  had  not  the  extra  men,  nor  could  he  get 
them.  Moreover,  he  had  hardly  a  decent  map  of 
the  territory,  while  the  enemy  knew  every  field, 
every  road,  and  every  stream.  They  could  not 
make  a  stand  at  Baliuag,  nor  could  they  run  in  the 
direction  of  San  Rafael,  so  their  only  course  was  to 
take  to  the  rice-fields,  the  cane-brakes,  and  the  jungle, 
and  this  they  did  in  short  order. 

By  the  time  the  outskirts  of  the  town  was  gained 
Ben's  command  was  almost  exhausted ;  yet  the 
colonel  of  the  regiment  felt  that  now  was  no  time 
to  rest,  and  company  after  company  was  sent  out 
in  the  hope  that  some  of  the  scattering  bands  of 
insurgents  might  be  rounded  up. 

"  Major  Morris,  you  will  take  your  four  companies 
up  yonder  road,"  said  the  colonel,  after  receiving 
orders  from  General  Lawton's  orderly,  and  the  head 
of  the  regiment  pointed  out  the  road  in  question. 
Soon  the  battalion  was  off  on  the  double-quick,  the 
major  more  than  eager  to  wipe  out  the  treachery 


126  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

which  had  been  shown  to  him  and  his  companions 
but  an  hour  or  two  before. 

The  road  which  the  battalion  followed  was  a  wind- 
ing one,  lined  with  cottages  of  the  better  sort,  show- 
ing that  this  was  a  fashionable  outskirt  of  the  town. 
Only  a  few  people  showed  themselves,  and  nothing 
was  seen  or  heard  of  the  insurgents  until  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  had  been  covered,  and  the  best  of  the 
habitations  had  been  left  behind.  Then  came  an 
unexpected  fire  from  a  cane-brake,  and  out  dashed 
fully  two  hundred  savage-looking  Tagals  armed  with 
guns  and  bolos. 

"  Halt  !  Fire  !  "  came  the  commands,  and  the 
Americans  obeyed  as  quickly  as  possible.  Several 
of  our  men  had  been  hit,  one  seriously,  and  now  half 
a  dozen  Filipinos  went  down.  For  several  minutes 
the  fighting  was  at  close  quarters,  and  it  looked  as  if 
the  battalion  had  run  into  an  ambush  and  were  about 
to  be  slaughtered. 

"  To  the  shelter  of  the  trees  !  "  shouted  Ben,  and 
was  about  to  guide  his  men  when  a  fierce-looking 
rebel  officer  leaped  before  him  with  drawn  sword. 
His  own  blade  met  that  of  the  enemy,  and  both 
flashed  fire.  But  the  Tagal  was  a  fine  swordsman 
and  kept  at  his  work,  feeling  certain  that  he  could 


IN   WHICH   A   FLAG   OF   TRUCE   IS   FIRED   UPON     127 

run  the  Americano  through  and  through.  Clack  ! 
clack  !  went  the  blades,  up  and  down,  side  to  side, 
and  straight  forward. 

"  Take  care  there  !  "  came  from  Major  Morris,  and 
just  then  the  Tagal's  sword  pricked  Ben's  arm. 
The  young  captain  leaped  back  a  step,  then  came 
forward,  and  as  quick  as  lightning  his  sword  found 
the  Tagal's  ribs.  At  the  same  time  Dan  Casey  fired 
at  the  enemy,  and  the  officer  went  down  flat  on  his 
back,  shot  through  the  breast. 

"  I  had  to  do  it,"  cried  the  Irish  volunteer.  "  I 
thought  he  was  afther  stickin'  ye  like  a  pig  !  " 

"  It  was  a  close  shave,"  murmured  Ben,  as  he 
passed  on.  "  He  handled  his  sword  like  an  expert. 
I  shan't  forget  you  for  that,  Casey." 

"  Sure,  an'  that's  all  right,  captain,"  answered  the 
soldier,  quickly.     "  Is  your  arm  hurted  much  ?  " 

"  I  guess  not.  Come,  we've  got  them  on  the  run 
again."  And  away  the  pair  went,  into  the  cane- 
brake,  through  which  the  rebels  were  crashing  like 
so  many  wild  cattle. 

The  day  had  been  full  of  excitement,  but  much 
more  was  to  follow.  The  cane-brakes  were  heavy, 
and  soon  Ben  and  Casey  found  themselves  separated 
from  the  main  body  of  the  battalion  and  out  of  sight 


128  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

of  their  own  company.  Then  several  Filipinos 
confronted  them  and  called  upon  them  to  sur- 
render. 

"  We  ain't  surrenderin'  just  yit,  we  ain't !  "  howled 
the  Irish  soldier,  and  let  drive  at  the  nearest  rebel, 
while  Ben  discharged  his  pistol.  Two  of  the  enemy 
were  wounded,  and  in  an  instant  the  others  took  to 
their  heels,  evidently  convinced  that  such  fighters 
were  "  too  many  "  for  them. 

The  encounter,  however,  had  taken  time,  and  now 
Ben  called  upon  his  companion  to  stop  running. 
"  We  want  to  know  where  we  are  running  to  first," 
he  said.     "Listen." 

They  listened  and  made  out  a  distant  firing  to 
both  the  right  and  the  left.  "  I'm  afther  thinkin' 
our  b'ys  is  to  the  right,"  said  Dan  Casey. 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,  Casey  ;  although  both 
of  us  may  be  mistaken,"  rejoined  the  young  captain 
of  Company  D.  "We  will  try  that  direction, 
anyway." 

They  continued  on  their  way  through  the  cane- 
brake  until  they  reached  a  small  stream.  Here  the 
ground  was  soft  and  full  of  treacherous  bog-holes, 
and  both  looked  at  each  other  in  dismay. 

"  Sure,  an'  this  is  more  than  we  bargained  fer,  eh, 


IN   WHICH   A   FLAG   OF   TRUCE   IS  FIRED   UPON     129 

captain?  "  remarked  Casey,  as  he  pulled  himself  out 
of  a  hole  into  which  he  had  gone  almost  to  his  knees. 
"If  we  don't  look  out  we'll  git  stuck  so  tight 
there'll  be  no  budgin'  av  us." 

"The  ground  to  the  right  seems  to  be  firmer," 
replied  Ben.  "Come,  we  will  move  in  that  direc- 
tion." 

But  to  get  out  of  the  soft  spot  was  not  easy,  and 
soon  they  found  themselves  between  the  tall  cane 
and  up  to  their  knees  in  a  muck  that  seemed  to  stick 
worse  than  glue. 

"Sure,  an'  this  is  fightin'  wid  a  vengeance-"  said 
the  Irish  volunteer,  smiling  grimly.  "It's  sthuck 
we  are  like  flies  on  a  fly  paper,  eh,  Captain 
Russell  ?  " 

"  We've  got  to  get  out  somehow,  Casey,"  an- 
swered Ben,  half  desperately.  "  Our  command  is 
marching  farther  and  farther  away,  and  we'll  have 
all  we  can  do  to  get  up  to  them." 

"  Sure  thin,  an'  Major  Morris*  betther  send  a 
detail  back  wid  a  long  rope  to  pull  us  out.  We 
couldn't  fly  from  the  inimy  now  if  we  thried,  could 
we?" 

"This  is  no  joke,  Casey." 

"Joke,  bedad?     No,  captain,  I'm  afther  thinkin' 


130  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

it's  a  mighty  sarious  difficulty.  But  there's  no  use 
av  cryin',  no  matther  how  bad  it  is,"  finished  the 
Irish  soldier,  philosophically. 

A  moment  of  reflection  convinced  Ben  that  the 
best  thing  he  could  do  was  to  go  back  part  of  the 
distance  they  had  come,  and  make  an  endeavor  to 
cross  the  little  stream  at  another  point. 

They  retreated  with  difficulty,  first  one  sinking 
into  some  treacherous  hole  and  then  the  other. 
Once  Casey  went  flat  on  his  back,  and  gave  a  loud 
yell  of  dismay  when  he  found  himself  covered  with 
a  mud  that  was  more  like  a  paste  than  anything 
else. 

"  Sure,  an'  I'll  not  go  in  such  a  cane-field  again, 
bedad,"  he  muttered,  as  he  started  to  pick  up  the 
gun  he  had  dropped.  As  he  did  so  a  cracking  of 
cane-stalks  near  them  caused  both  to  straighten  up 
in  alarm. 

"  Who  comes  ?  "  cried  Ben,  and  drew  the  pistol  he 
had  shoved  into  his  belt. 

There  was  no  answer  and  he  repeated  the  demand. 
"  Are  you  Americans  ?  "  he  added. 

Still  there  was  no  reply.  But  the  cracking  of  the 
stalks  continued,  and  the  sounds  seemed  to  move 
around  the  pair  in  something   of   a   circle.      Then 


EST  WHICH   A  FLAG   OF   TRUCE   IS   FIRED   UPON     131 

came  a  soft  command  in  the  Tagalog  dialect.     At 
once  Dan  Case)7  clutched  Ben  by  the  arm. 

"  They  be  afther  surroundin'  us,  captain,"  he 
whispered.  "  Be  the  noises  there  must  be  tin  or 
a  dozen  av  thim.  Phwat  shall  we  do,  fight  or  run 
fer  it  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XIV 

SURROUNDED   BY  THE  ENEMY 

For  the  moment  after  Dan  Casey  spoke  Ben  was 
silent,  not  knowing  himself  what  was  best  to  do. 
That  the  Filipinos  were  surrounding  them  there 
could  be  no  doubt,  since  those  approaching  would 
have  answered  the  young  captain  of  Company  D 
had  they  been  Americans. 

The  position  of  the  pair  was  dangerous  in  the 
extreme,  for  the  tall  cane-stalks  surrounded  them 
upon  all  sides,  giving  shelter  to  the  enemy,  while  the 
Tagals  could  see  the  volunteers  with  ease. 

"  Keep  quiet,  Casey,"  whispered  Ben,  as  the  sol- 
dier started  to  speak  again.  "  They  may  not  know 
how  many  there  are  of  us  here  and  sneak  off,  fearing 
an  ambush." 

The  Irish  volunteer  nodded  to  show  that  he 
understood.  He  was  holding  his  gun  before  him, 
ready  to  shoot  whenever  it  appeared  necessary. 

Presently  there  was  another  whispered  command, 
coming   from  directly  in  front  of  our  friends.     A 

1S2 


STJEEOUNDED   BY   THE   ENEMY  133 

slight  movement  in  the  cane-brake  followed,  and  then 
all  became  silent  once  more. 

"  Come  !  "  whispered  Ben.  "  Don't  fire  until  you 
see  me  do  so." 

Thus  speaking,  the  young  captain  moved  slowly 
and  cautiously  from  the  spot  they  had  occupied  for 
five  minutes  or  more.  He  picked  his  steps,  and 
they  fell  as  silently  as  those  of  a  cat  after  a  bird. 
Casey  was  at  his  heels,  almost  holding  his  breath, 
and  his  small  eyes  glistening  with  expectancy. 
Both  knew  that  they  were  carrying  their  lives  in 
their  hands. 

Two  rods  had  been  covered,  and  still  nothing  was 
seen  of  the  Filipinos.  Was  it  possible  that  they  had 
withdrawn  ?  But  no,  there  was  another  cracking  of 
cane-stalks  and  another  command  in  the  Tagalog 
language,  coming  now  from  their  left.  Then  of  a 
sudden  a  Mauser  rang  out,  and  a  bullet  whistled 
back  of  Ben's  head  and  across  Casey's  face. 

The  report  had  not  yet  died  out  when  Ben  fired, 
straight  for  the  flash  of  fire  of  which  he  had  caught 
a  momentary  glimpse.  That  his  shot  reached  its 
mark  was  proven  by  the  wild  yell  of  pain  which 
followed. 

"  The  jig  is  up  ! "  cried  Dan  Casey.     "  We  must 


134  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

run  fer  it,  captain !  "  And  as  a  Tagal  came  into 
view  before  them  he  fired  point-blank  at  the  fellow, 
hitting  him  in  the  breast  and  killing  him  on  the  spot. 

As  luck  would  have  it,  the  Filipino  whom  Casey 
had  killed  was  a  petty  officer  and  the  leader  of  the 
detachment,  and  his  sudden  taking-off  disconcerted 
the  insurgents  for  a  minute,  who  yelled  one  to 
another  that  their  leader  was  shot.  Taking  advan- 
tage of  the  confusion,  our  friends  rushed  headlong 
through  the  cane-brake,  firing  several  times  as  they 
ran.  A  dozen  shots  answered  them,  but  none  of 
these  took  effect. 

"  I  think  the  road  is  yonder,"  said  Ben,  pointing 
with  his  pistol  as  they  progressed.     "  Hark  !  " 

From  a  distance  came  a  scattering  volley,  prov- 
ing that  the  fighting  was  not  yet  over.  It  came 
from  the  direction  in  which  they  were  running. 
But  now  those  left  behind  were  after  them,  shooting 
and  shouting  with  vigor,  for  they  were  ten  to  two, 
and  were  determined  that  the  wicked  Americanos 
should  not  escape  their  clutches. 

At  last  the  cane-brake  was  left  behind.  Beyond 
was  a  small  part  of  a  rice-field,  and  close  by  a 
cottage  which  appeared  deserted. 

"  Sure,  captain,  an'  we'll  be  shot  down  like  dogs 


SURROUNDED   BY   THE  ENEMY  185 

if  we  show  ourselves  in  th'  open,"  panted  Casey, 
who  was  almost  out  of  breath. 

"  Get  behind  the  house,"  answered  Ben.  "  It 
is  our  one  chance,"  and  he  started  in  advance. 
Again  the  Filipinos  fired  on  them,  and  this  time 
a  bullet  touched  the  young  captain's  side,  cutting 
a  straight  hole  through  his  clothing. 

They  were  yet  a  hundred  feet  from  the  cottage 
when  two  American  soldiers  came  rushing  forth, 
guns  in  hand.  The  strangers  took  in  the  situation 
at  a  glance,  and  let  drive  with  such  good  aim  that 
two  of  the  enemy  fell  back  wounded.  The  others 
paused,  not  knowing  how  many  Americans  might 
be  concealed  in  the  building,  and  in  another  minute 
Ben  and  Casey  were  for  the  time  being  safe. 

"  By  gum,  ef  it  ain't  Captain  Russell !  "  cried 
one  of  the  soldiers,  as  he  faced  Ben.  "I'm  right 
glad  to  be  yere  to  help  ye,  cap'n,"  and  he  smiled 
broadly. 

"  Ralph  Sorrel  !  "  returned  Ben,  as  he  recognized 
the  tall  Tennesseean  who  had  once  accompanied  him 
on  a  search  for  Gilbert  when  the  young  Southerner 
was  missing.     "  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  " 

"  Jeming  an'  me  hev  got  a  wounded  man  with 
us  —  Sergeant    Kaser   o'   our   company.      We   war 


136      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

takin'  him  back  o'  the  lines,  when  he  got  so  bad 
we  brung  him  in  yere  to  rest  a  spell.     But  you  —  " 

"  Thim  rebels  is  comin'  agin  !  "  announced  Dan 
Casey.  "  Six,  eight,  nine  av  thim,  wid  wan  limpin'. 
How  many  av  us  are  there  here  ?  "  he  asked,  as 
he  looked  around. 

"Four,"  answered  Ben.  "Load  up,  boys,  and 
when  you  shoot  —  " 

"We'll  make  every  shot  tell,"  answered  Jeming, 
a  hardy-looking  soldier,  almost  as  tall  as  his  com- 
panion. 

"  I  don't  believe  they  will  come  very  close,"  con- 
tinued Ben.  "  They  know  that  we  have  the  advan- 
tage of  them,  even  if  we  are  but  four  to  nine." 

The  young  captain  was  right.  The  Filipinos 
had  showed  themselves  only  for  a  few  seconds. 
Now,  as  Sorrel  raised  his  gun,  they  lost  no  time 
in  darting  behind  cover. 

The  cottage  consisted  of  four  rooms,  all  on  the 
ground  floor,  and  a  low  loft  upstairs.  It  was  well 
built  and  fairly  furnished  in  native  fashion.  On 
the  single  bed  it  contained  lay  the  wounded  soldier, 
Sergeant  Kaser,  whom  Ben  had  met  several  times. 
He  was  hit  in  the  neck,  and  looked  as  if  he 
could  last  but  a  few  hours  at  the  most. 


SURROUNDED   BY   THE   ENEMY  137 

"  Sorry  we  can't  git  ye  back  to  camp,  sergeant," 
said  Sorrel,  as  he  did  what  he  could  to  ease  the 
wounded  one's  pain.  "  The  house  is  surrounded 
by  the  enemy.  I  reckon  we  kin  keep  'em  out, 
but  I  reckon  likewise  thet  they  kin  keep  us  in  — 
at  least  fer  a  while." 

"It  —  don't  —  matter,"  gasped  Sergeant  Kaser. 
"  I  am  not  —  not  —  long  for  this  world.  What  a 
terrible  thing  war  is  !  I  never  thought  I  was  going 
to  be  shot  down  like  this  !  "  And  he  gave  another 
gasp.  His  eyes  were  staring  from  his  head,  for 
he  was  suffering  severe  pain. 

Ben  looked  around  the  cottage  for  something 
which  might  be  given  to  the  sufferer  to  ease  him. 
But  the  dwelling  had  been  stripped  of  all  small 
things,  and  nothing  in  the  way  of  food,  drink,  or 
medicine  remained.  Sorrel  had  already  bound  a 
handkerchief  soaked  in  cold  water  around  the 
wounded  neck,  so  nothing  more  could  be  done, 
excepting  to  raise  the  sufferer  up  to  a  sitting 
position,  at  his  request.  "I  don't  know  as  thet 
is  best  fer  him,"  whispered  the  tall  Tennesseean  to 
Ben.  "  But  he  ain't  long  fer  this  world,  as  he 
says,  an'  he  might  as  well  hev  his  wish  as  not." 

In    the   meantime    Casey   and    Jeming  were   on 


138      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

guard,  one  watching  to  the  front  and  right,  the 
other  to  the  left  and  rear.  The  nearest  building 
to  the  cottage  was  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  away, 
but  bushes  and  small  trees  were  numerous,  and 
the  Americans  were  afraid  the  rebels  might  try  to 
sneak  up  behind  these  and  surprise  them. 

"  Something  is  moving  over  there,"  announced 
Jeming,  after  watching  several  of  the  bushes  for 
a  short  spell.  "  Can't  make  out,  though,  if  it's 
man  or  beast." 

"  Have  you  plenty  of  ammunition  ?  "  asked  Ben, 
who,  as  an  officer,  felt  in  charge  of  the  party. 

"Seventeen  rounds,  captain." 

"  And  how  about  you,  Casey  ?  " 

"Fifteen  rounds,"  returned  the  Irish  volunteer, 
after  counting  up  the  contents  of  his  belt. 

"I  have  twelve  rounds,  captain,"  came  from 
Sorrel.  "But  I  reckon  you  know  how  I  shoot, 
an'  Jeming's  jest  as  good,  mebbe  better." 

"  I  think  the  supply  is  sufficient,"  said  Ben,  "  so 
don't  run  any  chances.  If  you  think  that  is  an 
enemy  give  him  a  shot.  But  don't  hit  one  of 
our  fellows  by  mistake,"  he  added,  by  way  of 
cautiom 

"  It's  a  Tagal  !  "  cried  Jeming,  while  the  young 


SURROUNDED   BY  THE   ENEMY  139 

captain  was  yet  beside  him.  The  gun  was  levelled 
like  a  flash,  a  report  followed,  and  the  Filipino 
fell  behind  the  bushes  and  was  seen  no  more. 

"Thet  will  teach  'em  to  keep  their  distance," 
was  Sorrel's  comment.  "  Perhaps  they'll  clear  out 
soon,  bein'  afeered  some  more  o'  our  troops  will 
come  this  way." 

But  the  natives  were  "game,"  as  Ben  expressed 
it ;  and  instead  of  withdrawing,  they  began  to  come 
closer,  using  every  bush,  tree,  and  outbuilding  to 
the  best  advantage.  Some  of  their  fellows  had 
joined  them,  so  that  the  attacking  party  now  num- 
bered fifteen,  and  each  well  armed.  They  had 
seen  that  Ben  wore  the  uniform  of  a  captain,  and 
felt  that  the  capture  of  such  an  officer  would  be 
much  to  their  credit. 

Sergeant  Kaser  was  now  groaning  so  that  he 
could  be  heard  even  outside  of  the  building,  and 
as  the  rebels  had  fired  through  the  windows  several 
times,  they  concluded  that  they  had  wounded  one 
of  the  four  men  they  knew  to  be  inside.  If  this 
was  so,  but  three  Americanos  were  now  left,  and 
they  felt  that  victory  would  soon  be  within  their 
grasp. 

"  Surrendor,  or  we  kill  eferyboddy !  "  cried  one 


140  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

of  the  number,  in  English  that  could  scarcely  be 
understood.     "We  haf  dreety  mens  outside." 

"  We  ain't  surrenderin',  not  by  a  jugful ! " 
answered  Sorrel.  "What  in  thunder  does  he 
mean  by  '  dreety  mens '  ?  "  he  added,  to  his  com- 
panions. 

"  I  think  he  means  thirty,"  answered  Ben.  "  But 
I  don't  believe  there  are  that  many." 

"Yes,  but  there  are  more  than  there  was," 
announced  Casey,  quickly.  "  I'm  just  afther  seein' 
'em  pass  yonder  bushes."  He  had  pointed  his  gun, 
but  the  Filipinos  had  been  too  quick  for  him. 

"  Do  you  surrendor  ?  "  demanded  the  voice  again. 
"We  shall  begin  to  shoot  if  you  no  gif  up." 

"  No  surrender,"  answered  Ben,  firmly. 

Hardly  had  he  spoken  when  something  came 
rolling  toward  the  cottage  and  stopped  close  to  the 
porch.  It  was  a  rude  ball  made  of  sugar-cane  husks 
and  over  a  foot  in  diameter.  The  ball  was  ablaze 
and  burning  fiercely,  as  if  covered  with  pitch. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  ESCAPE  FROM   THE  BURNING  HOUSE 

"  Hullo,  that's  a  new  wrinkle  !  "  exclaimed  Ben. 
"They  are  going  to  try  burning  us  out." 

"  Sure,  an'  thim  haythins  is  up  to  all  sorts  av 
dodges,"  cried  Dan  Casey.  "It's  meself  as  would 
like  to  git  a  squint  at  th'  feller  that  threw  that." 

"I've  got  him,  I  reckon,"  whispered  Sorrel,  tak- 
ing a  ready  aim  at  a  thin  hedge  to  the  left  of  the 
house.  The  report  of  his  gun  was  followed  by  a 
shriek  of  pain,  and  a  Filipino  fell  into  view,  the 
blood  flowing  freely  from  a  wound  in  his  neck. 
Soon  his  companions  caught  him  by  the  legs  and 
dragged  him  back  into  cover. 

After  this  brief  exchange  of  "compliments,"  as 
the  tall  Tennesseean  called  it,  there  came  a  lull. 
Evidently  the  natives  were  disconcerted  by  the 
unexpected  fall  of  the  man  who  had  thrown  the 
fire-ball  and  knew  not  what  to  do. 

"Do  you  suppose  they  have  quitted  the  vicin* 
141 


142  THE   CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

ity?"  questioned  Jeming,  after  listening  vainly 
for  some  sound  from  without-  From  a  distance 
came  a  scattering  fire,  but  around  the  native  house 
was  the  silence  of  death,  for  the  man  who  had 
been  shot  by  Sorrel  had  fainted  from  loss  of  blood. 

"They  are  up  to  something,  you  can  be  certain 
of  that,"  answered  Ben.  "The  Filipino  is  at  his 
worst  when  he  is  silent." 

"Right  ye  air,  cap'n,"  put  in  SorreL  "Yere 
she  comes  agin  — ■  an'  a  scorcher,  too !  " 

From  over  the  bushes  came  a  huge  fire-ball, 
blazing  brightly.  It  struck  the  thatch  of  the  cot- 
tage close  to  the  edge  of  the  roof,  and  before  it 
fell  to  the  ground  had  set  fire  to  the  abode,  which 
began  to  burn  as  though  no  shower  had  wet  it  for 
a  montho 

"That  settles  it!"  came  from  Jeming.  "We've 
got  to  get  out,  or  we'll  be  burnt  up  like  rats  in  a 
corn-crib." 

"  But  the  sergeant  — "  began  Sorrel,  when  a  low 
moan  issued  from  the  corner* 

"Never  —  mind  —  me,  boys,"  came,  with  several 
gasps.  "I'm  —  I'm  going!  Good  —  good — =  bye — 
to —  to  —     Tell  mother  —  " 

He  said  no  more,  but  fell  back  exhausted.    All 


THE   ESCAPE   FROM  THE  BURNING   HOUSE      143 

rushed  to  him,  but  ere  anybody  could  raise  his 
form  again  he  was  gone  from  this  earth  forever. 

Tears  stood  in  the  eyes  of  Ralph  Sorrel,  and  Jem- 
ing  was  scarcely  less  affected,  for  both  had  known 
the  sergeant  intimately.  "  Another  victim,"  mur- 
mured the  tall  Tennesseean.  "  How  long  is  this 
yere  blamed  war  goin'  ter  last,  anyhow?" 

"  Not  much  longer,  I  hope,"  answered  Ben,  in 
a  low  voice.  "I,  for  one,  have  seen  enough  of 
bloodshed."  Then  the  young  captain  straightened 
up,  for  fear  he  might  break  down.  "  But  we  must 
attend  to  our  duty,  and  get  away  if  we  can.  See, 
the  flames  are  eating  in  at  the  window." 

"  All  right,  cap'n,  I'm  ready,"  said  Sorrel.  "  But 
we  must  carry  this  yere  body  outside  fust.  We 
can't  let  it  be  burnt  up,  nohow." 

He  nodded  to  Jeming,  who  understood,  and 
covering  the  form  of  the  dead  man  with  a  blanket, 
they  marched  to  the  door  with  the  stiffening  form. 
The  coast  seemed  clear,  and  they  darted  out  and 
deposited  their  grewsome  burden  on  the  grass. 
They  were  just  returning  to  the  shelter  of  the 
doorway  when  two  shots  rang  out,  but  neither 
was  effective. 

By  this  time  the  cottage  was  burning  so  fiercely 


144      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

that  to  remain  inside  longer  would  have  proved 
highly  dangerous.  Accordingly,  Ben  called  a  coun- 
cil of  war. 

"I  think  we  had  best  strike  out  for  the  grove 
of  trees  on  the  right,"  he  announced.  "The  dis- 
tance is  shorter  than  to  the  other  shelters,  and  the 
grass  is  so  high  that  perhaps  we  can  get  some 
benefit  by  stooping  down  as  we  run." 

"  Right  ye  air,  cap'n,"  answered  Sorrel,  and 
Casey  and  Jeming  nodded. 

"Surrendor,  you  Americanos!''''  came  in  a  shout 
from  without.     "  Surrendor,  you  beasts  !  " 

"  Let  them  burn  up,  they  deserve  it !  "  came  in 
Spanish. 

"All  ready?"  asked  Ben,  and  receiving  a  nod, 
he  hurried  to  a  side  window.  Below  was  a  small 
bush,  and  in  a  moment  he  had  dropped  to  the 
ground.  As  he  started  through  the  long  grass, 
Casey  and  the  others  followed  him. 

A  wild  yell  speedily  showed  that  this  new  move- 
ment had  been  discovered,  and  a  dozen  shots  rang 
out.  But  the  Filipinos  were  too  excited  to  shoot 
straight,  and  the  bullets  merely  clipped  their  way 
through  the  mango  and  other  trees,  or  buried 
themselves  in  the  side  of  the  burning  building. 


THE  ESCAPE  FROM  THE  BURNING  HOUSE     145 

At  first  Ben  thought  to  fire  in  return.  But  to 
find  shelter  was  the  prime  consideration,  and  on 
he  went,  holding  his  pistol  in  readiness,  but  with- 
out pulling  the  trigger.  Here  and  there  a  Filipino 
could  be  seen  flitting  from  bush  to  tree,  but  these 
glimpses  were  short  and  far  from  satisfactory. 

"  They  are  coming ! "  came  from  Dan  Casey, 
just  as  the  nearest  of  the  trees  was  gained. 
"  Back,  ye  rascals ! "  he  shouted,  and  fired  as 
quickly  as  he  could.  Casey  was  right ;  the  Tagals 
were  surrounding  them,  and  now  they  had  to  fight 
back  to  back,  in  as  hot  a  contest  as  the  young 
captain  had  ever  seen.  They  were  clearly  out- 
numbered, but  retreat  was  impossible,  for  the 
Filipinos  surrounded  them  upon  every  side. 

What  happened  during  the  next  five  minutes  is 
almost  impossible  to  describe,  for  every  movement 
was  executed  with  lightning-like  rapidity,  the  Fili- 
pinos bound  to  kill  or  capture  the  Americans,  and 
at  the  same  time  afraid  that  they  would  slip  like 
eels  through  their  fingers.  After  a  score  of  shots 
taken  at  a  distance,  they  closed  in,  and  Ben  found 
himself  confronted  by  two  fierce-looking  men,  one 
armed  with  a  Mauser  rifle  and  the  other  with  a 
wicked-looking  bolo.     The  Mauser  was  empty,  and 


146  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

its  owner  evidently  out  of  ammunition,  for  as  he 
advanced  he  used  the  weapon  as  a  club. 

Ben  was  hard  pressed,  for  his  pistol  was  now 
empty,  and  there  was  no  chance  to  reload  it.  But 
his  sword  kept  the  two  Tagals  back,  and  had  it  not 
been  for  his  gun,  one  of  the  enemy  would  have  had 
his  head  split  open  from  the  blade.  But  now  the 
rascal  with  the  bolo  tried  to  attack  the  young  cap- 
tain from  one  side,  while  he  with  the  gun  swung 
around  to  the  other. 

Ben  could  expect  no  aid  from  his  companions,  for 
all  were  as  hotly  engaged  as  himself  ;  indeed,  Sorrel 
more  so,  for  he  was  fighting  three  men,  while  Jem- 
ing  and  Dan  Casey,  side  by  side,  and  with  their 
backs  against  a  heavy  thorn-bush,  were  fighting  the 
balance  of  the  detachment. 

The  young  captain  felt  that  he  could  do  little  or 
nothing  more,  and  expected  each  instant  to  have  his 
assailants  hurl  themselves  directly  upon  him,  when 
a  shout  came  from  Sorrel  which  gave  all  of  our 
friends  hope. 

"  Some  soldiers  air  comin'  !  "  sang  out  the  Tennes- 
seean.  "This  way,  boys,  this  way,  an'  be  quick 
about  it  I " 

"What's  the  matter?"  came  in  a  hoarse  growl 


"His  sword  kept  the  two  Tagals  back."  —  Page  147. 


THE   ESCAPE   FROM   THE   BURNING   HOUSE      147 

from  the  roadway,  and  in  a  few  seconds  a  whole 
company  of  the  North  Dakota  troops  burst  into 
view.  Their  captain,  a  short,  fat  man,  but  one  who 
was  an  excellent  fighter,  took  in  the  situation  at  a 
glance,  and  ordered  the  Filipinos  surrounded. 

Taken  by  surprise,  the  Tagals  were  dumfounded, 
and  for  half  a  minute  knew  not  what  to  do. 
Then  they  started  to  run,  but  this  movement  came 
too  late,  and  four  went  down  at  the  first  volley  from 
the  newly  arrived  men.  The  others,  realizing  their 
helplessness,  threw  down  their  arms  and  surren- 
dered. 

"  Had  it  hot,  eh,  captain,"  said  the  North  Dakota 
man  to  Ben  as  he  came  up  with  a  quizzical  smile  on 
his  round  face,  from  which  the  perspiration  was 
pouring  in  a  stream. 

"  Yes,"  panted  Ben.  "  You  came  up  in  the  nick 
of  time,  and  I  must  thank  you  for  —  " 

"That's  all  right,  captain  —  no  more  than  you 
would  do  for  me,  and  I  know  it."  The  North 
Dakota  man  shook  hands.  "  It's  been  a  long  run- 
ning fight  to-day,"  he  added.  "  Where  is  your 
command  ?  " 

"  That  remains  to  be  found  out,"  answered  Ben. 
"  Have  you  seen  any  of  them  during  the  last  two 


148  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Aours  ?  I  and  one  of  my  men  became  separated 
from  them  in  the  cane-brakes." 

"  I  guess  you'll  find  them  up  near  Baliuag.  Most 
of  the  troops  are  up  there.  But  I  wouldn't  try 
going  around  by  this  road,  for  the  rebels  are  scat- 
tered in  small  bands  all  over  this  territory.  You'll 
find  the  main  road  all  right." 

"  What  will  you  do  with  these  prisoners  ?  " 

"  Take  them  up  to  the  main  road  and  send  to  the 
colonel  for  orders." 

"  Then  I  will  go  with  you,"  said  Ben,  and  spoke 
to  the  others  about  it.  Soon  the  whole  party  was 
on  the  way,  Sorrel  and  Jeming  carrying  the  dead 
form  of  Sergeant  Kaser  between  them,  with  Casey 
trudging  near  to  give  them  a  lift  whenever  necessary. 

It  was  now  growing  dark,  and  looked  as  if  a  thun- 
derstorm was  at  hand.  Seeing  this,  the  detach- 
ment pushed  forward  rapidly,  until  at  last  the  main 
road  was  gained.  Here,  from  one  of  the  drivers  of 
a  quartermaster's  turnout,  they  learned  that  Ben's 
regiment  had  gone  into  temporary  camp  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town  of  Baliuag,  which  was  a  mile  fur- 
ther on.  A  number  of  Americans  were  missing, 
having  become  lost  in  a  manner  similar  to  Ben  and 
Casey. 


2HE  ESCAPE  FROM   THE  BURNING   HOUSE      149 

The  young  captain  now  lost  no  time  in  march- 
ing forward  once  more,  and  reached  his  regiment 
in  less  than  half  an  hour.  He  found  his  company 
in  charge  of  Gilmore.  Many  had  given  him  up 
for  dead,  and  they  were  delighted  at  his  reappear- 
ance. 

"  We  can't  do  without  you,"  said  the  acting  first 
lieutenant.  And  as  he  shook  hands  his  honest 
face  showed  that  he  meant  what  he  said. 

"And  I  don't  know  that  I  can  do  without  my 
company,"  replied  Ben.  "Anyway,  I'm  awfully 
glad  to  be  back.  In  the  future,  I  must  be  a  little 
more  careful  about  keeping  the  boys  in  sight." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

NEWS   FROM   HOME 

It  was  evident  that  the  majority  of  the  insur- 
gents had  now  had  enough  of  fighting,  for  while 
the  engagement  just  mentioned  was  taking  place, 
General  Luna  of  the  Filipinos  sent  forward  his 
chief  of  staff  to  General  MacArthur,  with  a  re- 
quest that  hostilities  cease,  pending  a  conference 
of  Americans  and  Filipinos  looking  toward  a  set- 
tlement of  existing  difficulties. 

But  our  leaders  knew  only  too  well  what  delay 
meant,  and  refused  to  enter  into  any  compact 
unless  the  natives  first  threw  down  their  arms. 
The  Filipinos  wanted  their  freedom,  but  events 
had  now  so  shaped  themselves  that  absolute  free- 
dom for  them  appeared  to  be  out  of  the  question. 
So  the  conference  practically  amounted  to  nothing. 
And  while  this  was  taking  place,  General  Hale 
began  to  move  eastward  to  join  General  Lawton's 
command  on  its  march  toward  San  Isidro.  It  was 
the    policy    of    all    the    American    commanders    to 

150 


NEWS   FROM   HOME  151 

give  the  Filipinos  no  rest  during  the  short  time 
left  to  them  before  the  heaviest  of  the  rainy  season 
set  in. 

A  rest  of  two  days  did  Ben's  company  a  world 
of  good.  Communications  with  Malolos  were  now 
opened,  and  supplies  were  coming  forward  rapidly. 
With  the  supply  wagons  came  Carl  Stummer,  just 
from  the  hospital  and  still  somewhat  "  shaky,"  but 
eager  to  be  again  on  the  firing  line. 

"I  could  not  dink  me  of  stayin'  any  longer," 
he  said,  as  he  shook  hands  all  around.  "  Der  doc- 
ther  say,  4  You  vos  besser  here,'  und  I  say,  '  I  ton't 
gits  me  no  besser  bis  I  schmell  dot  powder  purn- 
ing  vonce  more  alretty  ! '  " 

"Well,  it's  powdher  ye'll  be  afther  shmellin' 
soon,"  put  in  Dan  Casey.  "  It's  forward  we  go 
to-morrow,  so  th'  colonel  is  afther  say  in'." 

"  Goot !  "  said  Carl.  Then  he  added  with  a  faint 
smile.  "You  see,  Tan,  I  vos  afraid  you  kill  all 
dem   Filibenos  off  pefore  I  could  git  here." 

"  Sure  an'  I  saved  a  couple  fer  ye,  Carl,"  replied 
his  chum.  "  Ye'll  not  be  wantin'  fer  a  scrap,  I'll 
warrant ! "  And  then  he  related  his  own  and 
Ben's  adventures,  to  which  the  German  volunteer 
listened  with  much  interest. 


152  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

The  wagon  train  had  brought  in  the  mail,  and 
this  included  the  usual  letters  for  Ben  —  one  from 
Walter  and  the  other  from  Uncle  Job  Dowling. 
Ben  breathed  a  long  sigh  as  he  opened  the  com- 
munications. 

"I'm  going  to  spring  a  surprise  on  you,"  so 
wrote  Walter.  "  I've  been  reading  the  newspapers, 
and  it  makes  me  weary  to  think  that  I  am  just 
cruising  around  with  our  squadron  doing  nothing, 
while  you  and  Larry  are  right  in  it,  head  and 
heels.  I've  applied  for  a  transfer  to  one  of  the 
warships  in  Manila  waters,  and  it  may  be  that 
before  this  reaches  you  I  will  be  on  the  bounding 
Pacific  on  my  way  to  join  you  and  Larry  in  our 
fight  with  Aguinaldo  and  his  supporters.  Si  Dor- 
ing,  my  old  Yankee  chum,  has  applied  with  me, 
so  we'll  probably  come  on  together,  and  when  we 
get  there  you  and  Larry  will  have  to  look  to  your 
laurels,  that's  all." 

"  Dear  Walter ! "  murmured  Ben,  after  reading 
the  letter  twice.  "What  will  he  say  when  he 
hears  that  Larry  is  missing  ?  If  Larry  doesn't 
show  up,  it  will  break  his  heart,  and  it  will  break 


NEWS   FROM   HOME  153 

mine,  too !  "  And  he  brushed  away  the  tears  that 
sprang  up  in  spite  of  his  efforts  to  keep  them 
down.  Then  he  turned  to  the  heavy,  twisted 
scrawl  from  his  Uncle  Job. 

"It's  rare  good  news  you  have  sent,  Ben,"  wrote 
the  old  man,  after  stating  that  he  was  in  good 
health,  "and  the  news  comes  none  too  soon,  for 
the  party  who  took  a  mortgage  on  my  house  wants 
his  money,  and  where  I  am  going  to  get  it  I  don't 
know,  with  money  so  tight  and  interest  and  bonus 
so  high.  I've  told  him  that  Braxton  Bogg  is  cap- 
tured, —  and  he  saw  it  in  the  newspaper,  too,  —  and 
he  is  about  of  a  mind  to  wait  for  his  money  now 
until  the  bank  gets  back  what  was  stolen,  and 
settles  up.  For  myself,  I  can't  hardly  wait  till  that 
time  comes;  and  after  this  you  can  be  sure  I'll  be 
mighty  careful  where  I  put  my  cash  and  what's 
coming  to  you  three  boys,  too.  You  won  that 
thousand  dollars'  reward  fairly,  and  I  hope  you 
and  Larry  won't  squander  it  like  most  soldiers 
would.  I  thought  that  war  would  end  soon,  but  it 
appears  like  it  would  go  on  forever.  Tell  Larry 
to  take  good  care  of  himself,  and  kmind  that  you 
don't  get  shot." 


154      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"Poor  Uncle  Job  —  he'll  be  in  a  hole  again," 
murmured  Ben,  "  Evidently  he  wrote  this  right 
after  I  sent  word  Braxton  Bogg  was  caught,  and 
he  doesn't  know  anything  of  my  being  shot  and 
getting  over  it,  and  of  Benedicto  Lupez  skipping 
out  with  what  Bogg  stole.  Hang  the  luck,  but 
everything  seems  to  be  going  wrong."  And  Ben 
grated  his  teeth,  in  a  mood  hard  to  explain. 

"What's  up,  Ben?"  The  question  came  from 
Gilbert,  who  had  just  come  up  to  watch  the  young 
captain,  in  considerable  surprise. 

Ben  showed  the  two  communications.  "I'm 
just  thinking  of  what  I  had  best  write  to  my 
Uncle  Job,"  he  returned.  "I'm  afraid  it  will 
break  the  old  fellow's  heart  to  learn  that  the 
money  is  gone  —  and  after  he  is  trying  to  turn 
over  a  new  leaf,  too." 

"And  the  news  about  Larry  will  cause  him 
pain,  too,  I  reckon. " 

"No  doubt,  but  —  but  —  well,  between  you  and 
me,  Gilbert,  I'm  afraid  the  money  will  hurt  the 
worst  —  Uncle  Job  always  did  set  such  a  store  by 
a  few  dollars.  As  for  me,  I'd  give  all  I'll  ever  be 
worth  if  only  I  knew  Larry  was  safe,"  concluded 
the    young   captain,   arising  from  a  seat  under  a 


NEWS   FROM  HOME  155 

palm  tree  as  Major  Morris  came  forward  to  speak 
to  him. 

"  Captain,  I'm  ordered  to  the  front  to-night,  to 
do  a  little  reconnoitring,"  said  the  major  of  the 
first  battalion.  "I  thought  perhaps  you  would 
like  to  go  out  with  me.  Possibly  we  can  again 
get  on  the  track  of  that  Bogg  fortune ;"  and 
he  smiled  faintly,  for  he  had  been  with  Ben  on 
the  night  Braxton  Bogg  had  been  first  made  a 
prisoner. 

"I'll  go  out  with  you  gladly,"  answered  the 
young  captain,  promptly.  "But  I  doubt  if  that 
money  is  ever  found  —  or  my  brother  Larry, 
either,"  he   added,  with  bitterness. 

"  Oh,  cheer  up,  captain,  you  are  blue  to-night. 
Come,  a  little  danger  will  put  you  on  your  mettle 
once  more,  and  you'll  forget  all  about  this  thing 
—  although  I'll  allow  it's  enough  to  make  any- 
body heart-sick." 

Supper  was  served,  and  the  sun  had  long  since 
sunk  to  rest  over  the  vast  plain  and  ocean  to  the 
westward,  when  Ben  and  Major  Morris  set  out, 
taking  with  them  an  ample  supply  of  ammunition 
and  likewise  a  day's  rations,  for  they  were  to 
move  directly  into  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  coun- 


156  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF   THE  JUNGLE 

try  and  might  be  absent  for  a  day  or  longer.  The 
object  of  their  going  was  to  find  out  if  a  certain 
Lieutenant  Caspard,  who  had  deserted  the  Ameri- 
can ranks,  was  with  the  rebels  now  gathering  at 
Maasin,  and  if  so,  whether  or  not  he  was  acting 
as  an  officer  of  the  Filipino  forces.  If  they  could 
catch  the  deserter  and  bring  him  back,  they  were 
to  be  well  rewarded.  Strange  to  say,  the  orders 
were  not  to  shoot  him  if  it  could  be  avoided. 

"It's  a  strange  mission,"  said  Major  Morris,  as 
they  set  out.  "  But  such  are  Colonel  Darcy's  or- 
ders, and  he  is  backed  up  in  them  by  the  general. 
Between  you  and  me,  I  think  this  Caspard  has 
been  playing  a  double  game  between  our  forces 
and  those  of  the  Filipinos,  and  those  at  head- 
quarters want  to  find  out  just  what  it  means. 
One  man  told  me  that  this  Caspard  was  out  of 
his  head,  and  had  an  idea  that  he  could  stop  the 
war  by  telling  the  rebels  we  would  grant  them 
everything  they  want  if  only  they  would  throw 
down  their  arms." 

"Would  the  rebels  swallow  such  a  yarn?" 
"Some   of   the  more  ignorant  might.     But   that 
isn't   the    point ;    Caspard    may    have  given  them 
some    military    information    of    vast    importance. 


NEWS   FEOM  HOME  157 

You  must  remember  we  are  in  a  territory  that 
may  be  full  of  pitfalls  for  us,"  concluded  the 
major. 

Ben  thought  but  little  of  the  ending  of  this 
speech  at  the  time,  but  had  good  cause  to  remem- 
ber it  before  midnight.  On  they  pushed  past  the 
picket  guard  and  on  to  a  side  road  which  it  was 
said  would  bring  them  around  to  the  north  side 
of  Maasin.  Both  were  in  fairly  good  humor  by 
this  time,  and  the  major  told  many  an  anecdote 
of  army  life  which  made  Ben  laugh  outright.  The 
major  saw  that  his  companion  was  indeed  "blue," 
and  was  bound  to  dispel  the  blues  if  it  could  be 
done. 

"And  that  story  puts  me  in  mind  of  one  on 
General  Grant,"  he  continued  presently.  "  Grant 
was  sitting  in  his  tent  one  night  when  — " 

"  Hush !  "  interrupted  Ben,  and  caught  his  com- 
panion by  the  shoulder.  Then  he  pointed  into 
the  semi-darkness  ahead.  "Are  those  rebels,  or 
friends  ?  " 

The  road  they  were  pursuing  was,  for  the  most 
part,  a  winding  one.  But  they  had  now  gained 
a  straight  stretch,  the  farther  end  of  which  was 
somewhat  in  the  open.     Looking  in  that  direction 


158      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Ben  had  discerned  six  or  seven  figures  stealing 
silently  along,  guns  on  shoulders  and  packs  on 
their  backs. 

Major  Morris  came  to  a  halt  and  surveyed  the 
figures  attentively.  "  I  don't  believe  they  are  our 
men,"  he  whispered.  "  None  of  the  troops  came 
as  far  as  this  —  so  the  general  stated." 

"  Then,  if  they  are  rebels,  what  have  they  been 
doing?"  went  on  Ben.  "  See,  they  have  picks  and 
shovels  and  axes." 

"  Perhaps  it's  an  engineering  corps,"  and  the 
major  laughed  softly  at  what  he  considered  his 
little  joke.  "These  Tagals  are  bound  to  be  up-to- 
date,  you  know." 

"Well,  if  they  are  an  engineering  corps,  what 
have  they  been  doing  ? "  demanded  the  young  cap- 
tain, who  felt  by  no  means  satisfied  at  his  com- 
panion's words. 

"I'll  give  it  up  —  no,  I  won't,  I'll  go  forward 
and  investigate,"  came  from  the  major.  "  There 
they  go,  around  the  turn,  and  walking  just  as  fast 
as  they  can.  If  we  want  to  catch  up  to  them,  we 
will  have  to  hurry." 

"We  don't  want  to  get  too  close,  major.  They 
are  not  the  game  we  are  after,  remember." 


NEWS   FKOM    HOME  159 

"True,  captain,  but  it  won't  do  any  harm  to 
find  out  what  we  can  of  them.  We  may  be  doing 
General  Lawton  a  great  service  by  such  an  action." 

The  night  was  cloudy,  and  as  they  pushed  for- 
ward to  the  bend  in  the  road  it  became  darker 
than  ever,  until  they  could  see  hardly  anything  of 
what  was  ahead  of  them.  The  way  was  evidently 
little  used,  for  the  grass  grew  thickly  even  in  the 
centre  of  the  highway. 

The  pair  were  going  on,  side  by  side,  and  with 
eyes  strained  to  catch  sight  of  those  who  had 
gone  before,  when  suddenly  Major  Morris  felt  the 
ground  giving  way  beneath  him.  "  My  gracious  !  " 
he  ejaculated,  and  caught  Ben  by  the  arm.  At 
the  same  instant  the  young  captain  uttered  a  cry, 
and  also  felt  himself  going  down.  Then  came  the 
snapping  of  slender  bamboo  poles,  and  the  scatter- 
ing of  some  loose  grass,  and  down  into  darkness 
and  space  shot  the  pair,  swallowed  up  utterly  by 
a  hole  which  had  unexpectedly  opened  to  receive 
them. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

IN  AND  OUT   OP   A   STRANGE  PITFALL 

Major  Morris  and  Ben  had  fallen  into  a  pit 
dug  by  the  Filipinos  for  the  purpose  of  catching 
their  enemies.  It  was  an  old  trick,  and  one  which 
had  been  used  quite  extensively  at  the  opening  of 
the  rebellion,  but  which  was  now  falling  into  dis- 
use, for  the  reason  that  few  Americans  were  ever 
caught  by  the  device. 

The  method  was  to  dig  a  square  hole  in  the 
centre  of  some  trail  or  road  which  the  Americans 
would  probably  use  in  their  advance.  At  the  bot- 
tom of  this  hole  would  be  planted  upright  a  num- 
ber of  sharp  bamboo  sticks,  and  then  the  top 
would  be  covered  over  with  slender  bamboo  sticks 
and  loose  grass  or  palm  leaves.  If  one  or  more 
persons  stepped  upon  the  top  sticks,  they  would 
break  at  once,  and  the  unfortunates  would  fall 
upon  the  sharp  points  below,  which  were  certain 
to  inflict  more  or  less  serious  injury. 

Fortunately,  however,  for  the  young  captain  and 
160 


IN  AND   OUT   OF  A   STRANGE  PITFALL         161 

his  companion,  the  hole  into  which  they  had  tum- 
bled was  not  provided  with  the  sharp  sticks  men- 
tioned. The  natives  had  just  finished  the  opening 
when  an  officer  had  called  upon  them  to  leave 
the  vicinity  as  it  was  getting  dangerous,  owing  to 
the  rapid  advances  made  by  the  Americans.  So  the 
trap  had  been  set  with  its  most  dangerous  element 
lacking. 

Yet  the  fall  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  one, 
and  for  a  brief  instant  the  young  captain  of  Com- 
pany D  thought  that  the  bottom  had  dropped  out 
of  everything,  and  that  he  would  surely  be  killed. 
He  tried  to  catch  hold  of  something,  but  all  he 
could  reach  was  the  major's  shoulder,  and  then 
both  landed  with  a  thud  on  the  soft  dirt  left  at 
the  bottom  of  the  hole. 

Ben  was  the  first  on  his  feet,  which  was  not 
saying  much,  since  the  bottom  of  the  opening  was 
not  level,  and  he  stood  in  the  soft  loam  up  to  his 
ankles.  Shaking  himself  to  find  that  no  bones 
were  broken,  he  drew  a  long  breath. 

"Major,  are  you  all  right?"  he  asked. 

"No  —  no — I'm  not  all  —  all  right,"  came  with 
a  gasp.  "  I've  had  my  wi — wind  knocked  ou  — out 
of  me." 


162  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"Any  bones  broken?" 

"I  gue  —  guess  not.  But  wh — who  ever  heard 
of  such  a  con  —  founded  trick?" 

"  I've  heard  of  it  several  times,  major.  But  we 
are  not  as  bad  off  as  we  might  have  been  had  the 
rebels  put  some  sharp  sticks  down  here  to  spit  us 
with." 

"True."  Major  Morris  gave  a  grunt,  and  wiped 
the  dirt  from  his  eyes.  "Well,  I  reckon  we've 
learned  what  their  engineering  corps  was  up  to." 

This  was  said  so  dryly  that  in  spite  of  his  dis- 
comfiture Ben  was  compelled  to  laugh. 

"Yes,  we've  learned.  The  question  is,  now  we 
are  down  here,  how  are  we  going  to  get  out?" 

"  Better  make  a  light  and  see  how  deep  the  hole  is 
first,"  replied  the  commander  of  the  first  battalion. 

Fortunately  Ben  had  plenty  of  matches  with  him, 
and  striking  one,  he  lit  a  bamboo  stalk  and  held  it 
up  as  a  torch.  By  the  flickering  light  thus  afforded 
they  saw  that  the  hole  was  about  eight  feet  wide  and 
twice  as  long.  The  level  of  the  road  above  was  fully 
eight  feet  over  their  heads. 

"  Looks  as  if  we  were  in  a  box,  eh,  captain  ?  "  said 
the  major,  grimly. 

"We're    certainly    in   a  hole,"   responded    Ben. 


IN   AND   OUT   OF   A   STRANGE   PITFALL         163 

"  But  I  think  we  can  get  out  without  much  trouble. 
I  wish  we  had  a  spade." 

"Well,  wishing  won't  bring  one,  and  there  is 
nothing  here  to  take  the  place  of  one,  either." 

"  Nothing  but  our  hands.  Here,  if  you'll  hold  the 
light,  I'll  see  what  I  can  do." 

"  Here  is  a  bit  of  a  flat  stick,  try  that,"  rejoined 
Major  Morris;  and  taking  the  article  mentioned,  Ben 
set  to  work  with  vigor,  attacking  one  end  of  the  hole 
by  loosening  the  dirt  so  that  a  large  portion  of  it 
soon  fell  at  their  feet.  Standing  upon  the  fallen 
portion  he  continued  his  operations,  and  presently 
more  of  the  dirt  fell,  leaving  an  incline  up  which 
both  began  to  scramble  on  hands  and  knees.  It  was 
not  a  very  dignified  thing  to  do,  but  it  was  far  better 
than  to  remain  in  the  hole,  and  besides,  there  was 
nobody  at  hand  to  comment  on  the  want  of  dignity 
in  the  movement. 

"  We  are  well  out  of  that,"  began  Major  Morris, 
brushing  off  his  clothing  as  he  spoke.  "  In  the 
future  —  " 

"  Hold  on,  major,  somebody  is  coming,"  interrupted 
Ben,  and  pulled  his  companion  back.  He  had  seen 
a  faint  light  advancing  toward  them,  from  a  side 
road  which  joined  the  main  road  at  a  point  but  a  few 


164  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

yards  distant.  Soon  he  made  out  a  heavy  cart 
approaching,  drawn  by  a  pair  of  caribaos,  or  water 
buffaloes.  On  the  seat  of  the  cart  sat  two  sleepy- 
looking  natives. 

"  We  must  stop  that  cart,"  was  the  major's  com- 
ment.    "  If  we  don't,  there  will  be  a  bad  smash-up." 

"I  don't  think  it's  a  good  plan  to  expose  our- 
selves," replied  Ben. 

"But  do  you  want  those  chaps  to  break  their 
necks?"  demanded  the  commander  of  the  first 
battalion.     "More  than  likely  they  are  amigos." 

"I've  got  a  plan  for  warning  them,  major." 

As  Ben  spoke  he  picked  up  some  of  the  driest  of 
the  grass  and  palm  leaves  and  applied  a  match  to  the 
stuff.  It  blazed  up  readily,  and  he  threw  the  mass 
in  with  the  other  stuff  about  the  edge  of  the  hole. 

"  There,  if  they  can't  see  that  they  must  be  blind," 
he  said.  "  Come,  let  us  get  out,"  and  off  they  ran 
for  the  thicket  close  at  hand.  From  here  they 
watched  the  cart  and  saw  it  come  to  a  halt  near  the 
hole  and  knew  that  the  turnout  was  safe. 

"  I  shouldn't  think  the  rebels  would  care  to  leave 
those  holes  about,"  was  Major  Morris'  comment,  as 
they  pushed  on  once  more.  "  They  are  as  dangerous 
to  their  own  people  as  they  are  to  us." 


IN  AND   OUT   OP  A   STRANGE  PITFALL         165 

"I  suppose  they  tell  their  own  people  about 
them." 

"  Those  men  on  the  buffalo  cart  evidently  knew 
nothing." 

"  The  rebels  don't  care  for  the  amigos.  Their 
idea  is,  if  a  native  is  not  with  them,  he  is 
against  them,  and  must  suffer  with  the  Ameri- 
cans." 

To  play  the  part  of  spies  in  such  a  country  as  this 
was  not  easy,  for  the  Americans  were  easily  distin- 
guished from  the  natives.  Had  Ben  and  the  major 
spoken  Spanish  fluently,  they  might  have  passed  for 
Spaniards,  as  each  was  tanned  from  constant  expos- 
ure to  the  strong  sun.  But  this  could  not  be,  and  so 
they  had  to  go  ahead  and  trust  to  luck  to  see  them 
through  with  their  dangerous  errand. 

At  length  they  felt  that  they  must  be  close  to  the 
enemy's  picket  line,  and  paused  to  consider  the  situa- 
tion. Before  them  was  a  gentle  slope,  terminating 
at  a  small  but  deep  stream  which  flowed  into  the  Rio 
Grande  River. 

"  I  think  some  of  the  rebels  are  over  there,"  said 
the  major,  pointing  to  a  hill,  from  the  top  of  which 
could  be  seen  a  faint  glow.  "  There  is  certainly  a 
camp-fire  back  there." 


166  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  There  is  a  house  just  below  us,"  returned  Ben. 
"Or  is  it  a  mill?" 

"A  mill  most  likely.  They  wouldn't  build  an 
ordinary  dwelling  right  at  the  water's  edge." 

"Perhaps  the  rebels  are  using  the  mill  as  a 
sort  of  headquarters.  What  do  you  say  if  we  in- 
vestigate ?  " 

The  major  agreed,  and  they  began  to  pick  their 
way  along  the  stream.  Soon  they  reached  a  rude 
bridge,  and  were  on  the  point  of  crossing,  when  a 
sharp  cry  rang  out  from  the  building  they  were 
approaching. 

"  Hullo,  that's  a  woman's  voice  !  "  exclaimed  Ben. 
"  Somebody  is  in  trouble." 

"  Help  !  thief  !  murderer  !  "  came  in  Spanish. 
"  Oh,  help,  for  the  love  of  kind  Heaven,  help  !  " 

"  It's  a  woman,  true  enough  !  "  ejaculated  the 
major.     "  I  wonder  what  the  trouble  is  ?  " 

"  I'm  going  to  find  out,"  answered  Ben.  The  cry 
for  aid  appealed  to  his  heart,  and  he  bounded  toward 
the  mill-house,  for  such  the  building  proved  to  be, 
without  further  hesitation.  Nor  was  Major  Morris 
far  behind  him. 

As  they  came  closer  they  saw  that  the  structure 
was  dark,  saving  for  a  faint  light  that  came  from  one 


IN   AND   OUT   OF   A   STRANGE   PITFALL         167 

of  the  rooms  built  over  the  mill  stream.  It  was  in 
this  room,  evidently,  that  some  sort  of  struggle  was 
going  on,  for  now  both  heard  the  cry  for  help 
repeated,  followed  by  the  overturning  of  a  table. 
Then  came  the  voices  of  two  men,  and  the  cry  came 
to  a  sudden  end. 

"  Two  men  are  misusing  some  woman,"  cried  Ben, 
"come  on  !  "  and  rushing  around  to  the  front  of  the 
building,  he  found  the  rickety  stairs  leading  to  the 
house  floor,  and  bounded  upward.  The  door  at  the 
top  stood  ajar  and  he  pushed  it  in,  with  Major  Morris 
at  his  heels.  The  room  at  hand  was  dark,  the 
struggle  was  going  on  in  the  apartment  next  to  it. 

Ben  paused  long  enough  to  see  that  his  pistol  had 
not  sustained  any  injury  in  the  tumble  into  the  hole, 
and  was  ready  for  use,  and  then  threw  open  the  door 
before  him. 

The  light  in  the  room  was  not  very  bright,  but 
coming  out  of  the  darkness  Ben  could  see  but  little, 
for  a  few  seconds.  The  room  was  thick  with  the 
smoke  of  cigarettes,  and  through  the  haze  the  young 
captain  made  out  two  men  standing  beside  an  over- 
turned table,  one  with  a  knife  in  his  hand.  To  his 
intense  surprise  the  men  were  Americans  and  dressed 
in  the  uniforms  of  regulars. 


168      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  he  demanded.  "  What 
are  you  —  " 

And  then  Ben  got  no  further,  for  a  swift  look 
around  the  room  told  him  that  the  two  men  were 
alone  —  that  the  woman  he  had  heard  crying  for  help 
was  not  there. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

2TZE  ADVENTURE  AT  THE  MILL-HOUSE 

For  the  moment  it  must  be  confessed  that  Ben 
was  absolutely  dumfounded,  and  Major  Morris  also. 
They  had  fully  expected  to  see  a  woman  in  the  hands 
of  the  regulars  before  them,  and  they  could  scarcely 
believe  the  evidence  of  their  own  senses. 

But  if  the  officers  were  astonished,  the  men  they 
confronted  were  likewise  taken  back,  and  stared 
in  amazement,  which  quickly  gave  way  to  conster- 
nation. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  demanded  one,  as  soon  as 
he  could  speak.  And  then  he  glanced  over  their 
shoulders  to  see  if  the  newcomers  were  alone. 

"We  thought  we  heard  a  woman  in  trouble," 
answered  Ben,  slowly. 

"And  we  did  hear  a  woman,"  put  in  the  major. 
"  Where  is  she  ?  " 

The  two  regulars  exchanged  unsteady  glances,  for 

each  was  somewhat  the  worse  for  liquor.     "  There 

ain't  no  woman  here,"  answered  one  of  them,  sullenly. 

169 


170  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE   JUNGLE 

"  Then  who  was  crying  for  help  ?  "  persisted  the 
young  captain. 

"See  here,  cap'n,  you  are  on  the  wrong  trail," 
came  from  the  older  of  the  regulars.  "Me  and 
Bill's  jest  been  having  a  little  rumpus  between  our- 
selves.    We  meant  no  harm  by  it." 

"  I  don't  believe  you,"  came  from  Major  Morris, 
promptly.  "There  is  some  mystery  here,  and  as 
sure  as  you're  born  I'm  going  to  find  out  what  it 
is  !  "  he  went  on. 

The  major  had  scarcely  finished  when  Ben's  eyes 
fell  to  the  floor,  and  he  saw  the  outline  of  a  trap- 
door under  one  of  the  regular's  feet.  One  edge  of 
the  door  was  raised  about  half  an  inch  above  the 
floor  proper,  as  if  the  door  had  been  opened  and  not 
put  back  evenly  into  place. 

"  Major,  look  at  that  trap-door  !  "  he  cried.  "  I'll 
wager  they  used  it  while  we  were  coming  up  the 
outside  stairs." 

"  You  must  be  right,  captain.     If  you'll  —  " 

"  We  didn't  use  no  trap-door,"  shouted  the 
younger  of  the  regulars,  but  he  appeared  much  dis- 
concerted over  the  discovery  Ben  had  made. 

"  Captain,  I  have  them  covered,"  came  from  Major 
Morris,  as  he  brought  out  the  two  pistols  with  which 


THE   ADVENTURE   AT   THE   MILL-HOUSE         171 

he  had  wisely  provided  himself.  "  Perhaps  you  had 
better  investigate." 

"  I  will,"  returned  the  young  captain,  and  backed 
out  of  the  room.  The  regulars  wanted  to  stop  him, 
but  aiming  his  weapons  at  them  the  major  told  them 
to  hold  their  peace. 

"  If  everything  is  all  right,  you  won't  be  harmed," 
he  said.  "But  it  doesn't  look  right  to  me.  You 
have  no  business  here,  for  one  thing." 

"  And  what  business  have  you  here  ?  "  demanded 
the  older  regular.  And  then  he  changed  his  manner. 
"We  were  captured  in  the  fight  of  last  week,  and 
were  just  trying  to  get  back  to  our  lines  again." 

"  We'll  talk  about  that  when  my  friend  the  cap- 
tain gets  back,  my  man.  If  we  are  treating  you 
unjustly,  I'll  apologize  and  do  the  handsome  thing  by 
you,"  he  added. 

In  the  meantime  Ben  was  making  his  way  down 
to  the  bank  of  the  stream,  under  the  mill,  with  all 
possible  speed.  It  was  extremely  dark,  and  he 
had  to  pick  his  way  with  caution  for  fear  of  tum- 
bling into  some  ugly  hollow.  Below  the  mill  was 
a  fall  of  water,  and  here  the  stream  ran  between  a 
series  of  sharp  rocks. 

Ben  had  just  gained  the  bank  of  the  stream  when 


172  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

a  low  moan  reached  his  ears.  At  first  he  could 
not  locate  the  sound,  but  presently  discovered  that 
it  came  from  the  vicinity  of  the  rocks.  Feeling 
his  way  along  he  managed,  but  not  without  great 
difficulty,  to  gain  the  top  of  the  rocks.  Here  he 
saw  the  water  foaming  and  boiling  twenty  feet 
below. 

"  That  woman  must  be  down  there,"  he  muttered. 
Then  he  raised  his  voice.     "Where  are  you?" 

"  Down  here,  by  the  rocks  !  "  came  back  faintly. 
"  Help  !  please  help  me  !  " 

Locating  the  voice  as  well  as  he  was  able,  the 
young  captain  began  crawling  down  from  one  rock 
to  another.  This  was  difficult  work,  and  he  had 
to  move  with  extreme  care  for  fear  of  a  tumble, 
which  would  land  him  directly  into  the  boiling 
stream.  At  last,  however,  he  found  himself  perched 
on  a  bit  of  a  shelf,  with  the  water  less  than  two  feet 
away. 

From  this  point  of  view  he  beheld  the  sufferer, 
who  was  swinging  in  the  water,  with  her  arms 
tightly  clutching  a  sharp  stone  which  reared  its 
point  just  above  the  surface  of  the  stream.  He 
saw  that  she  was  evidently  a  Spanish  woman,  well 
along  in  years,  and  that  her  dress  was  sadly  torn, 


Can  you  hold  on  a  few  minutes  longer  *?  "  —  Page  173. 


THE  ADVENTURE  AT   THE  MILL-HOUSE        173 

and  her  long  hair  was  floating  loosely  over  her 
neck  and  face. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  young  captain  was 
perplexed  over  the  situation  that  confronted  him. 
The  sufferer  was  just  beyond  his  reach,  and  he  felt 
that  to  plunge  into  the  water  after  her  would  be 
to  take  a  big  risk,  for  if  the  stream  at  this  point 
was  over  his  waist,  the  force  of  the  current  would 
carry  him  off  in  an  instant. 

"  Can  you  hold  on  a  few  minutes  longer  ? "  he 
called  out. 

"  No  !  no !  I  am  too  weak,"  came  more  faintly 
than  ever.  "  Help  me  quickly,  and  Heaven  will 
reward  you !  " 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can  —  but  you  must  hold  tight 
for  a  minute,"  answered  Ben. 

Just  above  his  head  a  number  of  bushes  were 
growing,  and  among  these  he  had  espied  a  long, 
stout-looking  shoot.  Clambering  to  this,  he  pulled 
out  his  pocket-knife  and  cut  it  off.  Then  he 
leaped  down  once  more,  and  holding  tight  to 
the  rocks  with  one  hand,  shoved  out  the  branch 
with  the  other.  "Catch  hold,  if  you  can,"  he 
cried. 

The  woman  understood  and  gave  up  the  rock  for 


174  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

the  stick,  and  Ben  pulled  her  toward  him.  It  was 
no  easy  task,  and  once  it  looked  as  if  she  would 
lose  her  hold  and  be  swept  away.  But  in  a  minute 
the  danger  was  past,  and  the  young  captain  was 
hauling  her  up  to  where  he  stood.  She  was  thor- 
oughly exhausted,  and  no  sooner  did  he  have  her 
in  his  arms  than  she  fainted. 

One  difficulty  had  been  overcome,  but  another 
still  remained,  and  that  was  to  get  up  to  the  safe 
ground  above  the  rocks.  But  once  again  the 
bushes  growing  out  of  the  crevices  came  into 
play,  and,  hauling  himself  from  one  to  another, 
Ben  at  last  found  himself  safe,  with  his  burden 
resting  heavily  over  his  shoulder. 

It  was  now  that  the  young  captain  found  the 
woman  was  suffering  from  a  blow  over  the  left 
temple,  from  which  the  blood  was  slowly  trickling. 
Laying  the  form  down,  he  brought  out  his  hand- 
kerchief and  bound  up  the  wound  as  well  as  he 
was  able.  This  had  just  been  accomplished  when 
the  sufferer  came  again  to  her  senses  and  stared 
around  her  in  bewilderment. 

"  You  —  you  —  am  I  safe  ?  "  she  asked,  in  broken 
English,  but  in  a  sweet  voice  which  went  straight 
to  Ben's  heart. 


THE  ADVENTURE  AT   THE   MILL-HOTTSE        175 

"  Yes,  madam,  you  are  safe,"  he  answered.  "  Did 
those  two  men  throw  you  into  the  stream?" 

"  Yes,  yes  !  Oh,  they  are  villains,  senor  —  great 
villains." 

"I  must  say  they  look  it,  even  if  they  are  of 
our  troops,"  replied  the  young  captain.  "  Come,  do 
you  think  you  can  walk  back  to  the  mill  with  me?" 

The  woman  said  she  would  try,  and  he  assisted 
her  to  her  feet.  She  was  still  very  weak,  and 
readily  consented  to  lean  on  his  arm ;  and  thus  they 
moved  slowly  back  the  way  the  captain  of  Com- 
pany D  had  come. 

During  all  this  time  Ben  had  not  heard  a  sound 
from  the  house,  and  he  was  anxious  to  know  how 
Major  Morris  was  faring,  although  feeling  positive 
that  the  major  was  fully  capable  of  taking  care  of 
himself.  Now,  as  they  came  closer,  he  heard  loud 
talking. 

"We  ain't  goin'  to  stay,  major,  —  an'  it  ain't 
right  fer  you  to  ask  us  to,"  the  older  of  the  regu- 
lars was  saying. 

"You  will  stay,  and  that's  the  end  of  it,"  came 
in  the  major's  clean-cut  tones.  "If  you  attempt 
to  pass  through  that  doorway,  I'll  put  a  bullet 
through  you." 


176      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"But  we  are  friends,  major,  and  —  " 

"I  don't  know  that  I  am  a  friend  to  you.  It 
depends  upon  what  my  companion  the  captain  will 
have  to  report  when  he  gets  back." 

"He  won't  have  nuthin'  to  report,  so  far  as  we 
are  concerned,"  put  in  the  younger  regular.  "  We 
ain't  done  any  wrong,  'ceptin'  to  quarrel  a  bit 
between  us.  Everybody  has  a  set-to  once  in  a 
while,  you  know." 

By  this  time  Ben  was  tramping  up  the  outside 
stairs,  supporting  the  woman  as  before.  Now  he 
pushed  his  way  into  the  outer  room  of  the  mill- 
house,  the  woman  following  with  some  hesitancy. 
At  the  appearance  of  their  late  victim  the  regulars 
fell  back  as  though  struck  a  blow. 

"Nice  sort  of  chaps  you  are,"  exclaimed  Ben, 
hotly.  "You  don't  deserve  to  wear  Uncle  Sam's 
uniform.  A  set  of  prison  stripes  would  suit  both 
of  you  much  better." 

"  Hullo,  you've  found  the  lady,"  cried  the  major. 
"Sit  down,  madam,  and  tell  us  what  this  means." 

A  bench  was  handy,  and  the  sufferer  dropped 
heavily  upon  it.  The  regulars  looked  as  if  they 
wished  themselves  anywhere  but  in  their  present 
situation,  yet  they  did  not  dare  to  budge,  for  Major 


THE  ADVENTURE   AT  THE   MILL-HOUSE        177 

Morris  still  held  "the  drop"  upon  them,  and  the 
commander  of  the  first  battalion  looked  as  if  he 
would  stand  no  nonsense. 

"  These  men  came  here  to  rob  me,"  said  the 
woman,  slowly.  "  They  are  of  your  kind,  but  they 
are  not  honest." 

"  Then  they  are  not  of  our  kind,"  answered  Ben, 
promptly.  "  We  do  not  allow  our  soldiers  to  rob 
anybody." 

"We  didn't  come  to  steal  — "  began  the  older 
regular,  when  Major  Morris  stopped  him. 

"  Silence  !  "  Not  another  word  until  the  ?ady 
has  finished  her  story." 

There  was  a  second  of  painful  silence,  and  the 
lady  continued :  "  I  am  staying  at  the  mill  alone, 
for  my  husband  has  gone  to  the  Laguna  de  Bay 
on  business.  Several  hours  ago,  these  two  soldiers 
came  in  and  demanded  that  I  serve  them  with  a 
hot  supper.  Not  wishing  to  have  trouble  I  gave 
them  the  best  I  had.  But  they  were  not  satisfied, 
and  broke  into  my  husband's  wine  closet  and  drank 
two  bottles  of  his  choicest  wine,  and  smoked  his 
best  cigarettes,  package  after  package.  Then,  after 
drinking  much  wine,  they  demanded  that  I  give 
them  money,  and  that  man,"  pointing  to  the  older 


178  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

prisoner,  "  told  his  companion  that  I  must  have 
money  hidden  somewhere,  as  all  the  Spanish  mill- 
owners  in  Luzon  were  rich,  while  the  truth  is, 
we  are  very  poor,  as  the  war  has  taken  away 
everything.  Then  the  men  drank  more,  and  at 
last  they  caught  hold  of  me  and  threatened  me 
with  great  violence  if  I  did  not  give  up  what  I 
had  hidden  away.  I  gave  them  the  little  silver  I 
had,  but  they  were  not  satisfied,  and  when  I  tried 
to  run  away,  one  hit  me  over  the  head  with  this 
bench.  Then  they  plotted  to  get  me  out  of  the 
way  entirely  and  go  on  a  hunt  for  money  them- 
selves. I  cried  louder  than  ever,  and  then  you 
started  to  come  in.  One  of  the  men  had  opened 
that  trap  leading  to  the  river,  and  as  you  came  up 
the  outer  stairs  both  dropped  me  down,  no  doubt 
to  drown  me.  I  was  swept  down  to  the  rocks  at 
the  falls,  and  there  the  capitan  saved  me,  God  bless 
him  for  it." 


CHAPTER  XIX 

NEWS   OF   LARRY 

For  a  minute  after  the  Spanish  woman  finished, 
nobody  in  the  mill-house  spoke.  Her  tale  had  im- 
pressed both  Ben  and  the  major  deeply,  and  they 
looked  with  cold  contempt  at  the  two  regulars 
who  had  so  disgraced  the  uniform  they  wore. 

"  This  is  a  fine  doings,  truly,"  said  Major  Morris, 
at  length.  "  I  wonder  what  your  commander  will 
say  when  he  hears  of  it." 

"  If  you  please,  they  have  deserted  the  American 
army,"  put  in  the  woman.  "They  said  as  much 
while  they  were  drinking  my  husband's  wine." 

"  It  ain't  so  ! "  burst  out  the  older  regular, 
fiercely.  "And  that  woman  has  told  you  a  string 
of  —  " 

"  Shut  up  !  "  interrupted  the  major,  sternly.  "  I 
will  take  this  lady's  word  against  yours  every  time 
—  after  what  I  have  witnessed  of  both  of  you. 
Your  name,  please  ?  " 

179 


180  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"I  ain't  telling  my  name  jest  now,"  was  the 
sullen  response. 

"Aren't  you?"  Up  came  the  major's  pistol  again. 
"Your  name,  I  said." 

"Jack  Rodgrew." 

"And  what  is  yours?"  went  on  the  commander 
of  the  first  battalion,  turning  to  the  younger 
regular. 

The  man  hesitated  for  a  second.  "My  name 
is  Jerry  Crossing." 

"  Indeed  !  How  is  it  your  mate  called  you  Bill 
awhile  ago  ?  " 

"Why  — er— er— " 

"I  don't  believe  either  of  the  names  is  correct," 
went  on  the  major. 

"He  is  called  Bill,  and  the  other  is  Yadder,"  put 
in  the  Spanish  woman.  "  I  heard  the  names  many 
times." 

"Then  that  will  answer,  since  I  also  have  your 
company  and  regiment.  Now,  then,  throw  down 
your  cartridge  belts." 

"  Throw  'em  down  ?  "  howled  the  regular  called 
Bill. 

"  That  is  what  I  said.  Throw  them  down  at 
once." 


NEWS   OP   LARRY  181 

"But  see  here,  major  — " 

"I  won't  stop  to  argue  with  you.  Throw  the 
belts  down,  or  take  the  consequences." 

"And  what  will  the  consequences  be?"  ques- 
tioned Yadder. 

"  The  consequences  will  be  that  I  will  form  my- 
self into  a  court-martial,  find  you  guilty  of  deser- 
tion, and  shoot  you  down  where  you  stand.  Come, 
do  those  belts  go  down  or  not?" 

"  I  reckon  they  go  down,"  grumbled  Yadder ;  and 
unloosening  the  article,  he  allowed  it  to  slip  to  the 
floor,  seeing  which,  his  companion  followed  suit. 

"Now  both  of  you  hold  your  hands  over  your 
heads,  while  Captain  Russell  searches  you  for  con- 
cealed weapons." 

"We  ain't  got  no  concealed  weapons." 

"  I  didn't  ask  you  to  talk,  I  told  you  to  hold  up 
your  hands." 

With  exceeding  bad  grace  the  two  deserters,  for 
such  they  really  proved  to  be,  held  up  their  arms. 
Approaching  them,  Ben  went  through  one  pocket 
after  another  and  felt  in  their  bosoms.  Each  had  a 
long  native  knife,  such  as  are  usually  used  in  the 
rice-fields. 

"  I  suppose  you  do  not  call  those  concealed  weap- 


182  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

ons,"  was  Major  Morris's  comment,  as  Ben  came 
over  to  him  with  the  knives  and  the  cartridge  belts. 
The  rascals'  guns  stood  back  of  the  door  behind  the 
commander  of  the  first  battalion. 

"  It  ain't  fair  to  take  everything  away  from  us," 
began  Yadder,  when  two  shots,  fired  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, cut  him  short.  The  shots  came  from  up  the 
stream  and  not  over  fifty  yards  from  the  mill-house. 
Soon  followed  a  shouting  of  voices,  and  all  in  the 
place  knew  that  a  band  of  rebels  were  approaching. 

"  They  are  after  somebody !  "  exclaimed  Ben. 
"  They  are  coming  —  " 

The  young  captain  got  no  further,  for  just  then 
there  sounded  a  clatter  on  the  outer  steps,  and  a 
second  later  an  American  soldier  burst  into  the 
mill-house.  He  was  in  tatters,  and  his  left  arm  hung 
limply  by  his  side,  for  he  had  been  shot  in  the 
shoulder. 

"  Americans  !  "  he  gasped,  as  he  cast  a  hurried 
glance  about.  "  Thank  God  for  that  !  The  rebels 
are  after  me,  half  a  dozen  strong." 

"  He  went  up  into  the  house  !  "  came  from  with- 
out, in  the  Tagalog  dialect. 

"  After  him,  men,  the  Americano  must  not  escape 
us!" 


NEWS   OF  LAEBY  183 

And  then  footsteps  were  heard  around  the  house 
and  on  the  stairs.  Ben  and  the  major  looked  at 
each  other  questioningly.     What  was  to  be  done  ? 

"  The  trap,"  whispered  the  young  captain.  "  If 
they  come  up  here,  we  can  escape  through  that." 

There  was  no  time  to  say  more,  for  already  the 
rebels  were  coming  up  the  stairs,  shouting  loudly  for 
the  escaped  Americano  to  give  himself  up.  They 
advanced  in  a  body,  evidently  not  caring  to  separate 
in  the  darkness,  and  thinking  to  find  the  man 
alone. 

With  quick  wit  Ben  ran  and  placed  the  table 
against  the  door,  and  on  this  piled  the  bench. 

"  Now  the  trap,  and  be  quick  !  "  he  whispered, 
and  Major  Morris  understood.  Flinging  open  the 
door  in  the  floor  he  looked  down,  to  behold  the 
stream  flowing  beneath. 

"  Follow  me  —  it's  the  best  way  out,"  he  said  to 
the  escaped  prisoner.  Then  he  dropped  down,  hold- 
ing his  pistols  over  his  head,  that  they  might  not 
get  wet. 

The  wounded  man  was  in  a  desperate  humor  and 
lost  no  time  in  following.  By  this  time  the  rebels 
were  hammering  lustily  on  the  door  which  Ben  was 
holding  shut. 


184      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  What  are  we  to  do  ? "  demanded  the  older  of 
the  deserters.     "  Are  you  —  " 

"  You  can  take  care  of  yourselves,"  answered  the 
young  captain,  and  rushing  over  to  the  trap-door  he 
let  himself  through,  closing  the  trap  after  him. 
Then  came  a  plunge  into  the  water,  but  the  stream 
here  was  less  than  four  feet  deep,  and  he  followed 
Major  Morris  and  the  wounded  man  to  the  bank 
without  difficulty.  A  loud  shouting  came  from 
overhead,  followed  by  a  storm  of  words  from  both 
rebels  and  deserters,  and  also  from  the  Spanish 
woman.  Fortunately  for  the  woman,  among  the 
rebels  was  a  nephew,  who  at  once  came  to  her  aid, 
and  had  the  two  deserters  from  the  American  army 
made  prisoners. 

"We  had  better  put  a  little  distance  between 
ourselves  and  that  mill,"  suggested  Major  Morris, 
as  all  three  shook  the  water  from  their  lower 
garments. 

"  How  is  it  ?  are  you  badly  wounded  ? "  asked 
Ben,  turning  to  their  newly  made  companion. 

"  Oh,  I  can  go  ahead,"  said  the  soldier.  "  It's 
rather  painful,  though." 

"  We'll  take  care  of  it  for  you  at  the  first  chance 
we  get,"  added  Ben ;  and  then  the  three  set  off  at 


NEWS   OF   LARRY  185 

a  brisk  pace  along  the  stream  and  over  the  rocks 
to  a  grove  in  which  they  felt  they  would  be  com- 
paratively safe  until  daylight,  if  no  longer. 

As  the  mill-house  was  left  behind,  all  became 
quiet,  and  in  the  grove  nothing  disturbed  them 
but  the  hum  of  the  insects  and  the  occasional  cry 
of  some  night  bird. 

Lighting  a  match,  Ben  examined  the  man's  wound 
and  bound  it  up  with  the  major's  handkerchief,  his 
own  having  been  left  behind  with  the  Spanish 
woman.  The  stranger  said  that  his  name  was 
Barton  Brownell. 

"I  have  been  a  prisoner  of  the  insurgents  for 
some  time,"  he  said,  when  asked  to  tell  his  story. 
"  I  was  captured  just  before  our  troops  took  Malo- 
los.  They  had  six  prisoners  all  told,  and  they 
took  us  to  a  place  called  Guinalo,  which  is  probably 
forty  miles  from  here,  and  up  in  the  mountains." 

"  While  you  were  a  prisoner  did  you  see  or  hear 
anything  of  a  Lieutenant  Caspard  ? "  asked  Major 
Morris,  quickly. 

"  To  be  sure  I  did  !  "  burst  out  Barton  Brown- 
ell. "He  came  to  see  me  several  times.  He  has 
joined  hands  with  the  insurgents,  and  he  wanted 
me   to   join   them,  too.     But  I   told  him  I  would 


J.86  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

rot  first,"  added  the  wounded  man,  and  his  firm- 
ness showed  that  he  meant  what  he  said. 

"  And  was  Caspard  in  the  field  with  the  rebels  ?  " 

"  Yes.  He  was  hand  in  glove  with  General 
Luna  and  the  other  rebel  leaders,  and  I  think  he 
had  turned  over  some  messages  from  General  Otis's 
headquarters  to  the  rebels.  But,  candidly  speak- 
ing, I  think  Lieutenant  Caspard  is  somewhat  off 
in  his  head.  Once  he  came  to  me  and  said  that  if 
only  I  and  the  other  prisoners  would  join  him,  we 
could  end  this  shedding  of  blood  inside  of  a  week." 

"  He  must  be  crazy,  to  join  the  rebels,"  put  in 
Ben.     "  Does  he  hold  any  position  under  them  ?  " 

"They  call  him  capitan,  but  if  he  has  such  a 
position,  it  is  merely  a  nominal  one.  I  think  the 
natives  are  beginning  to  suspect  that  he  is  not 
quite  right  in  his  mind.  But  still  they  love  to 
hear  him  praise  them,  and  they  swallow  a  good 
bit  of  what  he  says,  like  so  many  children." 

For  the  moment  Major  Morris  was  silent.  Then 
he  turned  to  Ben.  "  Our  mission  seems  to  have 
come  to  a  sudden  end,"  he  said.  "Brownell  can 
tell  Colonel  Darcy  all  he  wants  to  know."  And 
he  related  to  the  escaped  prisoner  the  reason  for 
their  coming  beyond  the  American  lines. 


NEWS  OF  LAEBY  18? 

"Yes,  I  reckon  I  can  tell  the  colonel  well 
enough,"  answered  Barton  Brownell.  "For  I  saw 
Caspard  often,  as  I  mentioned  before,  and  he  never 
knew  what  it  was  to  keep  his  tongue  from  wagging." 

"  And  how  did  you  escape  ? "  asked  Ben,  with 
interest. 

"  In  a  very  funny  way,"  and  the  soldier  laughed. 
"As  I  said  before,  we  were  kept  up  in  the  moun- 
tains, in  a  large  cave.  There  were  six  of  our 
troop,  but  all  told  the  prisoners  numbered  twenty- 
eight.  There  was  a  guard  of  four  rebels  to  keep 
us  from  escaping,  and  an  old  woman  called  Mother 
Beautiful,  because  she  was  so  ugly,  used  to  cook 
our  food  for  us  —  and  the  food  was  mighty  scanty, 
I  can  tell  you  that. 

"  Well,  one  day  two  of  the  guards  went  off, 
leaving  the  old  woman  and  the  other  two  guards 
in  sole  charge.  There  had  been  a  raid  of  some 
kind  the  day  before,  and  the  guards  had  some 
fiery  liquor  which  made  them  about  half  drunk. 
The  old  woman  got  mad  over  this,  and  she  was 
more  angry  than  ever  when  one  of  the  guards 
refused  to  get  her  a  pail  of  water  from  a  neigh- 
boring spring.  'I'll  get  the  water,  mother,'  says 
I,  bowing  low  to  her(  and  would  you  believe  it, 


188      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

she  made  the  two  guards  let  me  out,  just  to  get 
her  the  water." 

"And  the  water  hasn't  arrived  yet,"  said  Major 
Morris,  laughing. 

"No,  the  water  hasn't  arrived  yet,"  answered 
Barton  Brownell.  "As  soon  as  I  reached  the 
spring  I  dropped  the  pail  and  ran  for  all  I  was 
worth,  and  hid  in  the  brush  along  the  mountain 
side.  I  stayed  there  two  days  and  nearly  starved 
to  death.  Then  they  hunted  me  out,  and  I  received 
this  wound.  But  I  escaped  them  and  made  my 
way  through  the  jungle  and  over  the  rice-fields  to 
here,  and  here  I  am." 

"  You  say  there  were  twenty-eight  prisoners  all 
told,"  cried  Ben.  "  Did  you  ever  hear  anything 
of  my  brother,  Larry  Russell  ? " 

"Larry  Russell?"  repeated  Barton  Brownell, 
thoughtfully.  "To  be  sure  I  did.  He  is  a  sailor 
from  the  Olympia,  isn't  he?" 

"  Yes  !  yes  I     And  was  he  with  you  ?  " 

"  He  was,  at  first.  But  he  wasn't  when  I  left. 
They  moved  some  of  the  prisoners  away,  and  he 
was  among  them.  So  he  was  your  brother  ?  That 
beats  all,  doesn't  it  —  to  think  I  should  fall  in  with 
you  in  such  a  place  as  this  !  " 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  ADVANCE  UPON  MAASIN 

Ben  was  much  surprised  and  also  delighted  to 
learn  that  Barton  Brownell  had  met  Larry,  and  he 
lost  no  time  in  questioning  the  escaped  soldier 
regarding  his  missing  brother. 

"  Yes,  your  brother  was  with  me  about  two 
weeks,"  said  Barton  Brownell.  "  He  came  up  with 
a  detachment  of  rebels  from  the  Laguna  de  Bay, 
after  General  Lawton  left  that  territory." 

"  And  was  he  well,  or  had  he  been  wounded  ?  " 

"  He  was  suffering  from  a  cut  in  the  head.  A 
Spaniard  had  kicked  him  —  and,  yes,  he  told  me  it 
was  a  Spaniard  that  you  and  he  were  after  for  hav- 
ing robbed  a  bank  of  some  money." 

"  Benedicto  Lupez  !  "  ejaculated  Ben,  more  aston- 
ished than  ever. 

"  That's  the  name.  Your  brother  had  run  across 
that  man  and  his  brother  at  Santa  Cruz,  and  he  was 
trying   to  make   this   Benedicto   Lupez  a  prisoner, 

189 


190  THE   CAMPAIGN   OP  THE  JUNGLE 

when  the  brother  kicked  him  in  the  head,  and  then 
both  of  them  ran  away,  and  when  your  brother 
realized  what  was  going  on  again  he  found  himself 
a  prisoner.  He  was  taken  to  a  camp  near  the  north 
shore  of  the  Laguna  de  Bay,  and  afterward  trans- 
ferred to  the  cave  where  I  was  held." 

"  I  am  thankful  that  he  is  alive,"  murmured  the 
young  captain,  and  breathed  silent  thanks  to  God 
for  His  mercy.  "  Do  you  know  where  they  took 
Larry  to  ?  " 

"  I  can't  say  exactly,  but  I  know  that  a  great  many 
of  the  rebels  are  retreating  to  the  mountains  back 
of  San  Isidro.  I  wouldn't  be  surprised  to  hear  of 
Aguinaldo  making  his  final  stand  there." 

"  I  would  give  all  I  am  worth  to  gain  my  brother 
his  liberty." 

"  And  I  reckon  he  would  give  all  he  is  worth  to 
escape,"  rejoined  Brownell.  "  The  boys  hate  to  be 
kept  prisoners,  and  try  all  sorts  of  devices  to  get 
away.  One  fellow  had  some  gold  hidden  on  his 
person  and  tried  to  bribe  a  guard  with  it.  But  the 
guard  only  laughed  at  him  and  stole  the  money." 

"  Of  course  you  do  not  know  what  became  of 
Benedicto  Lupez  and  his  brother." 

"  No,  your  brother  knew  nothing  further  than  that 


THE  ADVANCE  UPON   MAASIN  191 

they  ran  off  after  the  assault  on  him,"  concluded 
Brownell. 

The  talking  had  somewhat  exhausted  the  wounded 
man  and  Ben  forbore  to  question  him  further  just 
then.  While  Barton  Brownell  rested  easily  on  some 
moss,  the  young  captain  turned  to  the  commander  of 
the  first  battalion. 

"  What  shall  we  do  next,  major  ?  " 

"  I  think  we  had  better  be  getting  back,"  was  the 
ready  answer.  "  The  sooner  we  report  to  the 
colonel  the  better  he  will  be  pleased." 

"  I  feel  like  pushing  right  through  to  San  Isidro, 
on  a  hunt  for  my  brother." 

"It  would  be  a  foolish  movement,  captain,  for, 
unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,  the  insurgents  have 
a  large  force  in  front  of  us,  and  to  attempt  breaking 
through  would  be  taking  a  big  risk.  Be  thankful 
that  your  brother  is  safe  thus  far.  As  long  as  he 
remains  quiet  I  don't  think  the  rebels  will  harm 
him." 

Ben  could  not  but  believe  that  this  was  good 
advice,  and  he  agreed  to  do  as  the  major  thought 
best.  It  was  now  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
half  an  hour  later  they  started,  thinking  to  rejoin 
their  command  before  daylight. 


192  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

It  was  an  exhausting  tramp,  the  more  so  because 
Brownell  had  to  be  assisted  by  one  or  the  other  for 
the  entire  distance. 

"I'm  a  great  drag,"  sighed  the  wounded  soldier. 
"  Perhaps  you  had  better  push  on  and  let  me  shift 
for  myself."  But  the  major  and  the  captain  would 
not  hear  of  this. 

They  had  one  little  brush  with  two  of  the  Filipino 
pickets  before  getting  into  the  American  lines,  but 
the  rebels  were  young  men  and  not  very  courageous 
and  let  them  slip  by  without  great  trouble. 

It  was  Major  Morris  who  made  the  report  to  the 
colonel,  taking  Ben  and  Brownell  with  him.  Colonel 
Darcy  was  greatly  interested. 

"  It  is,  then,  as  I  supposed,"  he  said.  "  This  infor- 
mation will  be  of  great  value  to  us,  Major  Morris," 
and  he  thanked  the  major  and  Ben  for  what  they 
had  done.  Brownell's  report  was  also  received  with 
close  consideration  by  General  Lawton  himself. 

"If  the  prisoners  have  been  taken  to  San  Isidro, 
we  must  try  our  best  to  liberate  them,"  said  the 
general.  "  I  am  so  glad  to  learn,  though,  that  the 
rebels  are  not  ill-treating  them,  as  I  had  supposed." 

It  was  Ben,  assisted  by  Casey,  who  saw  Brownell 
to  the  hospital  and  had  the  wounded  soldier  given 


THE   ADVANCE   UPON   MAASIN  193 

every  attention.  "When  they  parted,  Brownell,  al- 
though now  so  exhausted  that  he  could  scarcely 
speak,  shook  the  young  captain's  hand  warmly. 

"  I  hope  you  find  your  brother  soon,"  he  said.  "  I 
can  imagine  how  bad  it  makes  you  feel  to  know  that 
he  is  a  prisoner." 

The  advance  of  General  Lawton's  command  was 
now  directed  at  Maasin,  a  few  miles  beyond  Baliuag. 
It  was  led  by  Colonel  Summers,  who  took  with  him 
some  Oregon,  Dakota,  and  .Third  Infantry  troops 
and  a  battery  of  the  Utah  Light  Artillery,  with 
other  troops  following,  including  Ben's  battalion 
with  Major  Morris  at  its  head.  As  before,  the 
advance  was  along  the  main  road  and  through  the 
rice-fields,  cane-brakes,  and  the  jungle,  with  the  air 
so  oppressive  that  it  felt  as  though  coming  out  of 
a  steaming  oven. 

"I  dink  me  I  vos  right  in  it  from  der  start, 
alretty  !  "  exclaimed  Carl  Stummer,  as  he  plodded 
along.  "  Dis  vos  vorse  as  der  march  on  Malolos, 
eh,  Tan  ?  " 

"  Sure,  an'  it's  no  picnic,"  replied  the  Irish  vol- 
unteer. "  But  thin,  Carl,  me  b'y,  ye  must  remimber, 
we  didn't  come  out  here  fer  fun.  We  kem  out  fer 
to  show  thim  haythins  how  to  behave  thimselves  an' 
o 


194      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

grow  up  into  useful  an'  ornamental  citizens  av  the 
greatest  republic  that  iver  brathed  th'  breath  av 
life." 

"  Chust  so,"  returned  the  German  volunteer. 
"But  it  vos  uphill  vork,  ennahow,"  and  he  sighed 
deeply.  Carl  could  fight  as  well  as  any  old-time 
trooper,  but  the  long  tramps  through  the  jungle 
always  disgusted  him. 

There  was  the  river  to  cross  upon  which  the  mill- 
house  was  located,  and  Ben  could  not  help  but 
wonder  if  the  Spanish  woman  was  still  at  the 
structure,  and  how  the  American  deserters  had 
fared.  But  the  mill-house  was  too  far  away  to 
visit,  and  now  the  battalion  was  ordered  into  action 
on  the  upper  side  of  the  stream. 

"  Gangway  for  General  Lawton !  "  was  the  cry 
that  reached  Ben's  ears  a  few  minutes  later,  and 
then  came  a  crashing  of  horses'  hoofs,  and  the  tall 
general  rode  through  their  open  ranks,  followed 
by  several  members  of  his  staff.  As  was  usual, 
the  general  was  bound  for  the  firing  liue,  to  per- 
sonally direct  the  movements  of  the  men  under 
him.  Many  were  the  times  that  the  members  of 
his  staff  urged  him  not  to  make  a  target  of  him- 
self.     He    would    not    listen;    and    in    the    end 


THE   ADVANCE   UPON  MAASIN  195 

this  daring  exposure  cost  the  gallant  leader  his 
life. 

But  now  all  was  excitement,  for  a  large  force 
of  rebels  had  been  uncovered  and  there  was  no 
telling  but  what  the  jungle  ahead  concealed  even 
more.  "  We  are  up  against  it,  fellows  !  "  shouted 
one  of  the  sergeants.  "Let  us  rush  'em  for 
keeps ! "  And  on  swept  the  battalion,  until  the 
steady  pop-pop  of  Mausers  and  the  crack  of  the 
Springfields  could  be  heard  upon  every  side. 

Ben's  company  was  no  longer  as  large  as  it  had 
been,  for  death  and  disease  had  sadly  depleted  the 
ranks.  Yet  the  forty-six  men  in  the  command 
were  now  thoroughly  seasoned  fighters,  and  all 
loved  their  young  and  dashing  leader  and  would 
have  followed  him  anywhere. 

Presently  an  orderly  dashed  up  to  Major  Morris. 

"Major,  Colonel  Darcy  wishes  you  to  take  your 
command  up  yonder  hill.  The  rebels  have  a  bat- 
tery up  there,  as  you  can  see.  If  you  can  rush 
the  position,  he  will  send  another  battalion  to  your 
support." 

"Tell  Colonel  Darcy  I  will  obey  the  order," 
answered  Major  Morris.  Then  he  turned  to  the 
four  companies.     "Boys,  we  are  ordered  to  take 


196  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

yonder  hill  and  the  two  field-pieces  perched  on 
top  of  it.     Come  on,  and  I  will  lead  you  ! " 

He  waved  his  sword  and  away  went  the  first 
battalion  on  the  double  quick,  two  companies  to 
the  front.  There  was  first  a  slight  hollow  to 
cross,  and  then  came  a  thicket  of  brambles  where 
many  a  uniform  was  reduced  to  rags.  The  battery 
at  the  top  of  the  hill  saw  them  coming  and  directed 
a  heavy  fire  at  their  advance. 

"  Hot  work !  "  cried  the  major,  as  he  ranged  up 
alongside  of  Ben.  "I  am  afraid  the  carrying  out 
of  this  order  will  cost  us  dear." 

"If  you'll  allow  me  to  make  a  suggestion,  major 
—  "  began  Ben. 

"Make  a  dozen,  captain." 

"Why  not  take  a  course  to  the  left  then." 

"For  what  reason?" 

"There  is  a  big  rock  on  that  side,  on  the  very 
top  of  the  hill." 

"But  we  can't  climb  that  rock." 

"  No,  and  neither  can  the  rebels  fire  over  it  with 
their  field-pieces.  When  we  get  up  to  the  rock 
we  can  march  around  it." 

"Well  spoken,  Russell  —  you're  a  born  strate- 
gist,"  cried  the  major,  who   was  too  generous  to 


THE   ADVANCE  UPON  MAASIN  197 

have  any  ill  feeling  because  somebody  offered  him 
a  suggestion.  "We'll  go  that  way."  And  he 
immediately  gave  necessary  orders. 

But  the  advance  was  by  no  means  easy,  and 
soon  the  battalion  found  itself  under  such  a  gall- 
ing fire  that  the  men  were  glad  enough  to  seek 
the  shelter  of  every  rock  and  bush  which  came 
handy.  The  battery  could  not  do  everything,  and 
afraid  of  having  his  pieces  taken  from  him,  the  cap- 
tain had  called  upon  several  companies  of  the  Fili- 
pinos to  assist  him  in  maintaining  his  position. 

"  Down  !  "  suddenly  shouted  Gilbert  Pennington^ 
and  down  went  the  men,  and  the  next  instant  a 
shell  burst  directly  over  their  heads. 

"This  is  hot  and  no  mistake,"  murmured  Ben. 
Then  he  turned  to  his  command.  "  Forward,  men, 
the  sooner  we  take  that  position  the  better  it  will 
be  for  us."  And  up  the  hill  he  dashed,  with 
Casey,  Stummer,  and  the  rest  following  as  best 
they  could,  for  the  way  was  steep  and  uncertain. 
At  last  the  very  edge  of  the  big  rock  was  gained, 
and  Company  D  poured  around  its  left  side,  to 
find  themselves  suddenly  confronted  by  a  body  of 
Tagalos  fully  a  hundred  strong.  In  the  meantime 
the  other  companies  under  Major  Morris  were  com- 


198  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

ing  up  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  rock.  Ben  was 
on  the  point  of  shouting  some  additional  words  of 
encouragement  to  his  men,  when  he  found  himself 
face  to  face  with  a  mighty  Igorrote  warrior,  who 
with  his  long  lance  seemed  determined  to  pierce 
the  young  captain  through  and  through. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
camping  over  a  powder  magazine 

Bang! 

It  was  the  report  of  Ben's  pistol,  and  the  weapon 
was  aimed  directly  for  the  Igorrote's  head,  for  the 
young  captain  had  learned  the  value  of  aiming  and 
firing  quickly. 

But  the  Filipino  "had  been  there  before,"  and 
as  the  trigger  went  down  he  dropped  to  the  ground 
with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  and  the  bullet  in- 
tended for  him  struck  a  man  some  distance  in  the 
rear.  Then  up  leaped  the  Igorrote  once  more  and 
bounded  onward,  the  lance  point  aimed  directly  for 
Ben's  throat ! 

The  young  captain's  pistol  was  now  empty,  the 
other  shots  having  been  discharged  during  the  climb 
up  the  hill.  His  sword  was  out,  but  the  lance  was 
three  times  the  length  of  the  blade,  so  he  was  still 
at  a  disadvantage.  Yet  he  aimed  a  blow  at  the 
barbed  point  and  thus  turned  it  aside. 

"  Ha ! "  hissed  the  Filipino,  and  drew  back.  Then 
199 


200  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

he  struck  again  at  Ben,  and  instantly  both  slipped 
on  the  moist  grass  and  fell  directly  into  each 
other's  clutches.  The  Igorrote  was  a  powerful 
warrior,  and  grasped  Ben's  throat  with  the  tight- 
ness of  a  steel  band. 

Ben  tried  to  cry  out,  but  not  a  sound  could  he 
make.  His  eyes  bulged  from  their  sockets,  and 
he  felt  his  breath  leaving  him.  A  second  Igorrote 
leaped  forward  to  hit  him  on  the  head  with  a 
war  club,  such  as  some  of  the  Igorrote  still  insisted 
upon  carrying.  Of  the  use  of  rifles  this  tribe  of 
the  Filipinos  knew  little  or  nothing. 

"  Back,  ye  nager ! "  came  in  Dan  Casey's  voice, 
and  there  followed  a  sickening  thud,  and  down  went 
the  enemy  with  the  club,  his  head  split  open  by 
a  blow  from  the  Irish  volunteer's  gun-stock. 
Casey  then  aimed  a  second  blow  at  the  rebel  who 
had  hold  of  Ben,  but  not  wishing  to  receive  such 
a  dose  as  had  been  meted  out  to  his  companion, 
the  other  Igorrote  sprang  up,  butted  Casey  in  the 
stomach  with  his  head,  thus  landing  the  Irishman 
on  his  back,  and  then  ran  for  his  life  toward  the 
nearest  shelter  of  brush. 

"  Oh,  be  gracious !  To  look  at  that  now ! " 
spluttered  the  Irishman  as  he  arose.      "But  I  got 


CAMPING   OVER   A  POWDER   MAGAZINE       201 

wan  av  thim,  anyhow,  captain,"  he  added,  with 
a  jerk  of  his  thumb  toward  the  Igorrote,  who  lay 
with  a  broken  head. 

"Yes,  Casey;  and  you  saved  me,  too,"  returned 
Ben,  earnestly.  "  You  are  worth  two  ordinary 
men;"  and  then  captain  and  private  drifted  apart, 
as  the  tide  of  battle  rolled  forward. 

The  top  of  the  hill  was  gained,  but  for  once  the 
insurgents  did  not  know  when  they  were  whipped, 
and  held  to  their  guns  until  more  than  half  of 
their  number  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  The 
contest  raged  to  the  right  and  the  left  of  the  bat- 
tery, and  this  was  fortunate,  for  seeing  they  could 
not  hold  the  pieces,  some  of  the  rebels  overcharged 
one  of  the  guns  and  set  it  off,  blowing  it  into  a 
thousand  pieces.  Then  the  main  body  retreated 
into  the  jungle,  carrying  a  few  of  their  wounded 
with  them. 

By  this  time  it  was  raining  again,  and  the 
downpour  on  the  top  of  the  hill  was  so  great 
that  little  could  be  seen  of  the  condition  of  affairs 
at  a  distance.  Sending  word  that  the  hill  was 
taken  and  one  old-fashioned  Spanish  field-piece 
captured,  Major  Morris  rallied  his  battalion  around 
him  and  stood  on  the  defensive.      Put   the   rebels 


202  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

had  had  enough  of  fighting  for  the  present,  and 
once  again  took  up  the  retreat  in  the  direction  of 
San  Isidro. 

"  I  reckon  that  was  hot  enough  for  anybody," 
said  the  major,  as  he  stalked  up  to  Ben  and  the 
other  captains  under  him.  "  I  wonder  if  anybody 
was  killed  by  the  explosion  of  that  old  cannon  ?  " 

"Nobody  was  killed,  but  several  were  wounded," 
answered  one  of  the  captains.  "  The  rebel  who 
charged  her  up  and  then  fired  her  had  lots  of 
nerve,"  he  added. 

Word  soon  came  back  from  General  Lawton  that 
the  battalion  should  hold  the  hill  until  further 
orders.  The  situation  was  not  a  pleasant  one,  but 
orders  must  be  obeyed,  and  the  various  companies 
proceeded  to  make  themselves  as  comfortable  as 
possible,  which  was  not  saying  much,  since  the 
top  of  the  hill  afforded  little  or  no  shelter.  One 
company  was  detailed  to  do  picket  duty,  but 
a  little  scouting  soon  proved  that  the  rebels  were 
a  mile  or  more  distant. 

When  the  main  body  of  the  troops  under  Gene- 
ral Lawton  marched  into  Maasin,  they  found  the 
pretty  little  town  all  but  deserted.  In  a  few  of 
the   huts   the   inhabitants    remained,   having   hung 


CAMPING   OVER   A   POWDER   MAGAZINE        203 

out  dirty  white  rags  to  show  that  they  were  ami- 
gos.  Here  were  also  numerous  "  Chinos "  or  Chi- 
nese, some  of  mixed  blood,  and  all  ready  to  do 
anything  for  the  American  soldiers,  provided  they 
were  paid  for  it.  Natives  and  "  Chinos "  went 
about  bared  to  the  waist,  casting  fearful  eyes  at 
those  who  had  so  suddenly  disturbed  the  peace  of 
their  homesteads,  for  the  inhabitants  of  Maasin 
were  peaceably  inclined,  and  took  but  little  inter- 
est in  the  war  Aguinaldo  and  his  followers  had 
instituted. 

"Well,  we  are  one  step  nearer  to  San  Isidro," 
remarked  Gilbert,  when  he  got  the  chance  to  talk 
to  Ben.  "  I  suppose  we  can't  get  there  any  too 
quick  for  you." 

"I  don't  know,  Gilbert.  You  must  remember 
that  while  Larry  may  be  near  San  Isidro  now,  he 
may  be  miles  off  when  we  reach  there.  These 
Filipinos  change  their  capital  and  their  prisons  as 
quickly  as  a  flea  jumps." 

"Never  mind,  we'll  keep  them  on  the  jump  un- 
til they  drop,"  answered  the  young  Southerner. 
"They  can't  stand  up  before  us  forever." 

"  To  my  way  of  thinking,  I  don't  believe  this 
war  will  come  to  definite  end,  Gilbert." 


204      THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

"What  do  you  mean,  Ben?  They  have  got  to 
stop  sometime  —  or  else  we  have  got  to  stop." 

"  These  Filipinos  are  not  pulling  together  —  on 
the  contrary,  they  are  split  up  into  half  a  dozen 
factions.  If  we  defeat  one  faction,  the  others  will 
still  keep  on,  and,  besides  that,  the  worst  of  the 
rebels  are  of  Malayan  blood,  pirates  and  bandits. 
I  believe  after  we  have  whipped  them  as  an  army 
they  will  still  keep  on  fighting  in  small  bodies, 
somewhat  after  the  order  of  the  brigands  in  Mexico 
and  northern  Africa.  With  the  mountains  to  fly 
to,  such  brigands  could  keep  on  worrying  an 
American  army  for  years." 

"  Possibly  ;  but  when  the  main  body  of  the  natives 
see  what  we  want  to  do  for  them,  they'll  be  as  anx- 
ious as  we  to  wipe  out  such  brigands,  and  with  their 
own  people  after  them,  life  will  be  pretty  uncomfor- 
table, I'll  wager.  To  be  sure,  there  will  always  be 
robbers,  just  as  there  are  outlaws  and  train-wreckers 
in  the  western  states  of  our  own  country." 

Some  of  the  men  had  found  a  small  opening 
between  the  rocks,  and  over  this  had  hung  their 
tents,  making  a  rude  shelter  which  Ben  and  Gilbert 
were  glad  to  share  with  them.  In  the  crowd  were 
Casey  and  Stummer,  and  the  latter  busied  himself  in 


CAMPING   OVER   A   POWDER   MAGAZINE       205 

trying  to  make  a  cup  of  hot  chocolate  over  a  hand- 
ful of  dry  twigs  found  in  the  shelter.  The  attempt 
was  hardly  a  success,  yet  the  drink  was  better  for  the 
convalescent  than  either  water  or  liquor  would  have 
been. 

"  Sure,  an'  if  this  shtorm  kapes  up,  we'll  all  be 
dhrowned  out,"  was  Casey's  comment,  as  he  shifted 
his  feet  to  keep  them  out  of  a  rising  puddle.  "  Now 
who  would  think  the  water  would  rise  on  the  top  av 
a  hill.  Things  do  be  mighty  peculiar  in  Luzon,  an' 
that's  a  fact." 

"Never  mind,  Casey,  you'll  get  back  home  some 
day,"  put  in  another  soldier.  "  And  in  years  to  come 
you'll  be  telling  your  grandchildren  what  a  mighty 
fighter  you  were  out  in  the  state  of  Luzon,  recently 
annexed  to  the  United  States,  along  with  the  state 
of  Hawaii."     And  a  laugh  went  up  over  the  conceit. 

"  Sure  an'  you  ton't  haf  nodding  to  grumble  ofer 
of  you  ton't  git  shot,"  said  Stummer. 

"  Or  don't  get  taken  down  with  disease,"  put  in 
another.  "  My,  but  I  pity  the  fellows  with  fever 
and  chills  and  malaria,  and  the  other  things  that  are 
just  as  bad.  I  believe  about  one-fifth  of  the  army  is 
now  on  the  sick  list." 

"  Some  of  the  boys  are  going  to  send  a  petition  to 


£06  IHE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

General  Otis  for  relief.  They  say  they  can't  stand 
it  much  longer." 

So  the  talk  went  on,  both  Ben  and  Gilbert  saying 
but  little.  Presently  Major  Morris  poked  his  nose 
into  the  opening. 

"  I  think  you  boys  had  better  come  out  of  there," 
he  said  shortly. 

"Why,  major — "  began  several. 

"  Are  we  to  advance  ?  "  asked  others. 

"  No,  we  are  not  going  to  advance,  unless  it's  sky- 
ward," continued  the  major.  "  Either  come  out  of 
that,  or  else  put  out  that  fire,  and  be  mighty  careful 
about  it." 

"The  fire  ain't  doing  no  harm,"  grumbled  a 
private,  under  his  breath. 

"  I  don't  believe  the  enemy  can  see  the  smoke  in 
this  rain,"  suggested  another,  thinking  that  this  was 
the  cause  of  their  being  disturbed. 

"  I'm  not  thinking  of  the  enemy,  boys,  I'm  think- 
ing of  you.  Better  come  out,  and  then  we'll  put 
out  that  fire  as  carefully  as  we  can." 

Seeing  that  something  unusual  was  in  the  wind, 
one  after  another  of  the  officers  and  privates  came 
forth  from  the  hollow,  Stummer  giving  the  fire  a 
kick  as  he   passed.      As   soon  as  they  were   out- 


DAMPING   OVER   A   POWDER   MAGAZINE       207 

siie  they  surrounded  the  commander  of  the  first 
battalion. 

"  Now,  boys,  do  you  know  why  I  called  you  out  ?  " 
asked  Major  Morris,  with  just  the  suspicion  of  a 
twinkle  in  his  clear  eyes. 

"  No,  why  was  it  ?  "  came  from  a  dozen  voices. 

"  Because  I  wanted  to  save  your  lives,"  was  the 
quiet  response. 

"  Save  our  lives,  major  ?     You  must  be  joking." 

"No,  I  am  not  joking.  We  have  just  captured 
one  of  the  rebel  gunners,  who  was  in  command  of  the 
piece  that  was  blown  to  atoms.  He  says  that  this 
hollow,  where  you  had  your  camp-fire,  was  their 
powder  magazine,  and  that  they  left  all  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds  of  powder  stored  there,  hidden 
under  the  moss  and  dead  leaves." 


CHAPTER   XXII 

THE  RESULT   OF   AN   AMBUSH 

"  Good  gracious,  do  you  mean  to  say  we  have  been 
camping  over  a  powder  magazine  ?  "  gasped  Gilbert, 
as  soon  as  he  could  speak. 

"  Sure,  an'  it's  a  wondher  we  wasn't  all  blowed  to 
hivin  !  "  came  from  Dan  Casey. 

"Und  I  boil  mine  chocolate  so  calmly  as  you 
blease,"  put  in  Carl  Stummer,  with  a  shudder.  "  Py 
chiminy,  I  ton't  vos  build  no  fire  no  more  bis  I  vos 
sure  of  mine  ground." 

For  several  minutes  the  excitement  was  intense, 
and  all  of  the  soldiers  retreated  to  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  hollow  which  had  proved  such  a 
comfortable  shelter. 

Presently,  however,  Ben,  Gilbert,  and  several  others 
mustered  up  courage  enough  to  go  back  and  haul 
down  the  coverings  put  up.  Then  came  another 
heavy  downpour  of  rain,  which  speedily  extinguished 
the  fire  ;  and  the  danger  of  an  explosion  was  past. 

208 


THE  RESULT   OF   AK   AMBUSH  209 

An  examination  under  the  rocks  proved  that  the 
Filipino  gunner  had  told  the  truth.  The  powder 
was  there,  in  big  cans  bearing  the  old  Spanish  stamp. 
Some  was  marked  1876,  and  was  so  old  as  to  be 
practically  worthless. 

"  They  ought  to  have  shot  that  off  in  honor  of  our 
centennial,"  remarked  the  young  captain.  "  I  don't 
wonder  the  rebels  can't  hit  anything.  This  powder 
has  no  carrying  power  left  to  it." 

Nevertheless  the  powder  was  carted  off  and  added 
to  the  American  stock.  Then  General  Lawton  rode 
up  and  Major  Morris  told  in  detail  what  had  been 
accomplished. 

With  the  fall  of  Maasin  came  another  day  of 
much-needed  rest  for  the  majority  of  the  troops 
under  General  Lawton.  In  the  meantime,  while 
these  soldiers  were  advancing  from  Angat  upon  San 
Isidro,  the  command  under  General  MacArthur  was 
far  from  idle.  The  Filipino  commissioners  wanted 
a  three  months'  armistice,  in  order  that  the  terms  of 
a  peace  might  be  discussed,  but  to  this  the  Americans 
would  not  listen,  as  they  felt  the  enemy  wished 
mainly  to  gain  time  in  which  to  reorganize  their 
shattered  forces. 

MacArthur's  command  was  now  in  possession  of 

3P 


210      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Calumpit  on  the  railroad,  and  Apalit,  just  above,  ot 
the  Rio  Grande  ;  while  the  rebels  in  this  territory 
began  to  mass  at  St.  Tomas  and  at  San  Fernando, 
still  further  northward  on  the  railroad.  On  May  the 
4th  MacArthur's  division  set  out  from  Apalit,  with 
Hale's  command  on  the  right  wing  and  Wheaton's 
on  the  left. 

It  was  not  supposed  that  the  rebels  would  make  a 
serious  stand  short  of  San  Fernando,  but  at  St. 
Tomas  they  were  developed  in  force,  and  a  running 
fight  ensued,  lasting  several  hours,  but  without  great 
loss  to  the  Americans.  Finding  they  could  not  hold 
St.  Tomas,  the  Filipinos  set  fire  to  the  town  and  fled. 
They  were  pursued  with  vigor,  and  attempted  to  burn 
San  Fernando  late  that  night,  but  failed  to  do  so. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  fighting  was  renewed, 
and  near  San  Fernando  another  battle  took  place. 
But  the  rebels  were  disheartened  by  the  defeat  at 
St.  Tomas,  and  were  soon  on  the  run,  and  General 
Hale  drove  them  a  mile  beyond  San  Fernando.  In 
taking  possession  of  the  town  it  was  found  that 
several  of  the  public  buildings  were  in  ruins.  The 
defensive  works  here  were  very  strong,  and  had  the 
Filipinos  stood  up  to  their  work  like  real  fighters, 
they  might  have  held  the  position  for  a  long  time. 


THE  RESULT   OF   AN   AMBUSH  211 

On  Saturday,  May  the  6th,  Ben's  command  moved 
forward  again,  down  the  hill  into  Maasin,  now 
patrolled  by  Americans,  and  then  to  the  main  road 
beyond. 

"  I  don't  believe  we  are  in  for  much  of  a  fight  to- 
day," remarked  the  young  captain  to  Gilmore,  who 
had  now  been  appointed  first  lieutenant. 

"  I  reckon  you  are  right,"  answered  Gilmore. 
"  The  scouts  haven't  found  any  rebels  within  a  mile." 

"  It  would  almost  seem  as  if  we  could  march 
straight  through  to  San  Isidro,"  went  on  Ben, 
thoughtfully.  "  I  must  say  I  never  heard  of  such 
a  campaign." 

"  They  say  General  Lawton  puts  it  down  as  a 
regular  Indian  campaign.  But  then  the  rebels  don't 
do  much  fighting  in  the  dark." 

"They  are  sick  of  it,  Gilmore.  I  believe  they 
would  give  up  in  a  minute  if  the  leaders  were  only 
assured  that  they  would  come  out  whole,  as  the 
saying  goes." 

"Well,  they've  gone  too  far  to  come  out  whole, 
captain.  General  Aguinaldo  may  mean  well,  but  he 
never  went  at  this  thing  right.  He  ought  to  know 
that  he  isn't  dealing  with  some  third-rate  power." 

On  went  the  regiment,  about  four  hundred  and 


212  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

fifty  strong  now,  for  men  were  dropping  out  every 
day  on  acount  of  fever  and  other  tropical  troubles. 
Ben  had  had  a  little  fever  himself,  but  had  dosed 
himself  with  quinine  before  it  had  a  chance  to  per- 
meate his  system  and  bring  him  down  on  his  back. 

The  advance  led  the  regiment  along  a  small  stream 
lined  with  fading  flowers  and  wild  plantains  and  the 
ever  present  thorns  and  trailing  vines.  Birds  were 
numerous,  and  here  and  there  a  sporting  soldier 
could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  bring  one  of  the 
feathered  tribe  down,  to  be  cooked  at  the  next  rest- 
ing place.  Once  the  regiment  stirred  up  a  flock  of 
wild  turkeys,  and  a  charge  was  made  to  capture  the 
prizes,  a  charge  that  was  as  enthusing  as  one  on  the 
rebels.  Soldiers  are  but  human  and  must  have  their 
fun,  no  matter  under  what  difficulties. 

"  It's  a  fine  turkey  dinner  we'll  be  af ther  havin' 
to-day,"  remarked  Dan  Casey,  as  he  hung  one  of  the 
birds  over  his  shoulder.  He  had  scarcely  spoken, 
when  pop-pop  went  several  Mausers  in  a  thicket 
beyond,  the  bullets  singing  their  strange  tune  in  the 
leaves  over  the  advancers'  heads. 

"  Forward  !  "  shouted  Major  Morris,  who  was  in 
temporary  command  of  the  regiment,  and  away  they 
went  once  more,  to  suddenly  find  themselves  on 


THE   RESULT  OF   AN  AMBUSH  213 

spongy  soil  which  speedily  let  them  down  to  their 
ankles.  In  the  meantime  the  insurgents'  fire  became 
thicker  than  ever,  and  it  looked  as  if  they  were 
caught  in  an  ambush. 

"  Fire  at  will  !  "  came  the  order.,  "  To  the  left, 
boys,  and  make  every  shot  tell  !  " 

A  roar  of  musketry  drowned  out  the  words,  and 
immediately  Ben's  company  found  itself  all  but  sur- 
rounded. To  go  into  this  quagmire  had  certainly 
been  a  grave  error,  but  all  leaders  make  mistakes 
sometimes ;  and  Major  Morris  was  suffering  as 
greatly  as  his  men. 

The  next  half  hour  was  one  Een  never  forgot. 
The  rebels  evidently  thought  they  had  the  Ameri- 
cans at  their  mercy  and  pushed  in  closer  and  closer, 
until  more  than  half  of  the  contestants  were  fighting 
hand  to  hand.  Many  had  exhausted  their  ammunition, 
and  were  using  their  bayonets  or  else  handling  their 
guns  as  clubs. 

"  Die  !  "  cried  one  tall  Tagal,  as  he  flashed  up 
before  Ben  with  a  bloody  bolo.  "  Die  !  "  he  repeated 
in  bad  English,  and  made  a  lunge  at  the  young  cap- 
tain. But  Gilmore  had  his  eye  on  the  man,  and  the 
lieutenant's  sword  cut  the  bolo  from  the  rebel's 
grasp. 


214  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE   JUNGLE 

"  Good,  for  you  !  "  cried  Ben.  Then  he  drew  a 
long  breath,  to  think  of  the  narrow  escape  he  had 
had.  The  native,  his  hand  flowing  with  blood, 
retreated  as  suddenly  as  he  had  approached. 

The  tide  of  the  battle  was  now  taking  Americans 
and  insurgents  toward  a  cane-brake.  The  rebels 
still  fought  desperately,  but  they  were  beginning  to 
lose  confidence,  for  the  Americans  were  pushing 
them  hard. 

But  now  came  a  cheer  from  the  rear,  and  Company 
B  rushed  up  to  the  aid  of  Ben's  command.  To  the 
young  captain's  astonishment,  Gilbert  was  in  com- 
mand, all  the  upper  officers  being  either  killed  or 
wounded. 

"  Gilbert !  "  he  called,  but  had  no  time  to  say 
more.  But  the  young  Southerner  heard  and  waved 
the  sword  he  had  picked  up.  Soon  the  two  compa- 
nies were  fighting  shoulder  to  shoulder,  and  the 
enemy  were  driven  out  into  the  cane-field,  and  then 
into  a  meadow.  Here  they  tried  to  make  a  stand, 
around  an  old  rice-house,  and  it  took  another  half 
hour  to  dislodge  them.  But  when  they  did  retreat 
at  last,  they  went  in  great  haste,  many  leaving  their 
weapons  and  outfits  behind  them. 

The  fighting  over,  Ben  started  to  find  the  major. 


THE  RESULT   OF   AN   AMBUSH  215 

Gilbert  accompanied  him.  Their  first  hunt  for  the 
commander,  however,  was  unsuccessful. 

"It's  queer,"  was  Ben's  comment.  "I  trust  he 
isn't  dead  in  the  bushes." 

The  hunt  gradually  brought  them  to  a  trail 
through  the  jungle,  and  presently  Gilbert  heard 
a  faint  moan  for  help.  Running  in  the  direc- 
tion, they  found  a  soldier  of  Company  C  lying  on 
some  moss,  his  knee  shattered  from  a  Mauser 
bullet. 

"  Oh,  the  pain  ! "  groaned  the  poor  fellow. 
"Help  me,  won't  you?" 

"  We'll  do  all  we  can  for  you,"  answered  Ben,  and 
while  he  went  to  work,  Gilbert  ran  back  to  bring  up 
the  hospital  corps  with  a  stretcher. 

"  You  want  to  go  after  Major  Morris,"  said  the 
wounded  soldier,  as  soon  as  he  felt  comfortable 
enough  to  talk. 

"  We  are  looking  for  Major  Morris,"  replied 
Ben,  much  astonished.     "  Where  is  he  ?  " 

"  He  was  knocked  over  by  one  of  the  Dagos, 
and  then  three  of  'em  carried  him  away." 

This  was  certainly  news,  and  Ben  waited  impa- 
tiently for  Gilbert  to  get  back.  As  soon  as  the 
young     Southerner     returned,     both     asked     the 


216      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

wounded  soldier  in  what  direction  the  captured 
major  had  been  taken. 

"They  went  through  the  cane-brake,"  was  the 
answer.  "You'll  find  the  trail  easily  enough,  I 
think,  if  you  look  for  it.  One  of  the  rebs  wore 
boots  with  high  heels,  so  you  can't  miss  'em." 

The  wounded  man  did  his  best  to  point  out  the 
right  direction,  and  was  then  taken  back  to  the 
hospital  tent.  Without  delay  Ben  called  Ralph 
Sorrel  and  half  a  dozen  others  to  his  aid. 

"We  must  go  after  Major  Morris,  and  at  once," 
he  said.  "Are  you  ready  to  undertake  the  work? 
It  may  be  a  dangerous  proceeding." 

"We're  with  yer,  cap'n,"  answered  Sorrel,  and 
his  sentiment  was  that  of  all  of  the  others. 

The  trail  into  the  cane-brake  was  followed  with- 
out much  difficulty,  and  the  party  of  eight  advanced 
as  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  the  ground  permitted. 
The  storm  had  cleared  off  the  night  before,  and 
the  sun  shone  down  hotly,  making  the  air  in  the 
brake  suffocating. 

"This  yere  is  a  putty  big  cane-brake,  an'  no 
error,"  remarked  Sorrel,  after  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
had  been  covered.  "  Cap'n,  it  won't  do  fer  us  to 
turn  ourselves  about  an'  git  lost." 


THE  RESULT   OF  AN   AMBUSH  217 

"We'll  stick  to  the  one  trail,"  answered  Ben. 
"As  yet  I've  seen  no  side  trails,  although  I've 
been  watching  every  foot  of  the  ground  that  we 
crossed." 

"Nor  I,  cap'n,  —  an'  don't  wan't  to,  neither," 
added  the  tall  mountaineer. 

A  little  further  on  was  a  clearing,  in  the  centre 
of  which  stood  a  small  cane-house.  Halting  on 
the  edge  of  the  opening,  they  beheld  several  Fili- 
pinos on  guard  outside  the  house.  In  the  doorway, 
with  his  back  to  the  opening,  stood  Major  Morris, 
his  hands  bound  behind  him. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

THE  TORNADO   IN   THE   CANE-BRAKE 

"  I  reckon  we  have  got  'em  tight,  cap'n,"  came 
from  Sorrel,  as  the  party  of  Americans  came  to  a 
halt  and  surveyed  the  scene  before  them. 

"  It  depends  upon  how  many  of  them  there  are," 
answered  Ben.  "  Sorrel,  supposing  you  skirt  the 
clearing  and  try  to  count  noses." 

The  Tennesseean  was  willing,  and  started  off, 
taking  Gilbert  with  him.  He  was  gone  probably 
ten  minutes. 

"Not  more  than  ten  at  the  most,"  he  reported. 
"And  of  that  number  two  are  wounded  and  have 
their  arms  in  slings." 

"Any  other  prisoners  besides  Major  Morris?" 

"Not  that  we  could  see,"  came  from  Gilbert. 
"  We  could  rush  them  easily  enough  if  it  wasn't 
for  the  major,"  he  added. 

"We  don't  want  any  harm  to  befall  Major 
Morris,"  said  Ben,  thoughtfully.  "If  we —  The 
rebels  have  discovered  us,  look  out ! " 

218 


THE   TORNADO   IN   THE   CANE-BRAKE  219 

Ben  had  scarcely  finished  when  a  report  rang 
out  and  a  bullet  whizzed  over  their  heads.  One 
of  the  soldiers  outside  of  the  cane-house  had  seen 
two  of  the  Americans  and  had  fired  upon  them. 

The  discharge  of  the  firearm  caused  Major  Morris 
to  turn  around,  and  as  he  did  so  Ben  waved  his  cap 
at  his  commander,  and  was  recognized.  Then  two 
of  the  insurgents  hurried  the  major  out  of  sight. 

The  Americans  were  not  slow  to  return  the  fire ; 
and,  although  nobody  was  struck,  the  insurgents 
lost  no  time  in  disappearing  from  view.  A  lull 
followed,  as  both  sides  tried  to  determine  what  was 
best  to  be  done  next. 

"  Here  comes  a  flag  of  truce,"  said  Gilbert,  pres- 
ently, as  a  rebel  appeared,  holding  up  a  white  rag. 
"If  I  were  you,  I  wouldn't  honor  it." 

"I  would  like  to  hear  what  they  have  to  say," 
replied  Ben,  quietly. 

"  But  remember  how  they  fired  on  the  other  flag 
of  truce,"  insisted  the  young  Southerner.  "  You'll 
be  running  your  head  into  a  lion's  mouth." 

"  Sorrel,  keep  that  man  covered,"  said  Ben.  "  I 
won't  move  out  any  further  than  he  does." 

"  If  you  go,  I'll  go  with  you,"  said  Gilbert, 
promptly. 


220      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

He  would  not  be  put  off,  and  together  Ben  and 
he  moved  into  the  opening,  Ben  holding  up  a  new- 
handkerchief  as  he  walked.  The  rebel  at  once 
halted,  as  if  expecting  them  to  come  over  to  where 
he  stood. 

"  You  come  over  here !  "  cried  Gilbert,  and  waved 
his  hand. 

There  was  a  full  minute's  delay,  and  then  of  a 
sudden  the  rebel  threw  down  his  white  flag  and  sped 
toward  the  house.  At  the  same  time  three  reports 
rang  out,  and  Gilbert  fell  back,  struck  in  the 
shoulder. 

"  What  did  I  tell  you  !  "  he  gasped.  "  They  are 
treacherous  to  the  last  degree ! "  And  then  the 
young  Southerner  fainted. 

As  just  mentioned,  three  reports  had  rung  out, 
but  only  two  had  come  from  the  house.  The  third 
came  from  Ralph  Sorrel's  weapon,  and  the  man 
who  had  carried  the  pretended  flag  of  truce  fell 
dead  in  his  tracks. 

The  dastardly  attack  angered  Ben  beyond  endur- 
ance, and  leaving  Gilbert  resting  comfortably  on 
some  cut  cane,  he  leaped  to  the  front.  "  Come, 
boys,  we  will  root  them  out  !  "  he  cried,  and  ran  on 
toward  the  house  as  fast  as  he  could,  firing  as  he 


THE  TORNADO   IN  THE  CANE-BRAKE  221 

went.  Sorrel  was  at  his  heels,  and  the  others  fired, 
each  "  red-hot "  as  they  afterward  expressed  it. 

The  insurgents  saw  them  coming  and  fired  sev- 
eral shots,  but  nobody  was  struck,  and  in  a  trice  the 
house  was  surrounded.  Then  Major  Morris  came 
bounding  through  a  window,  and  it  was  Ben  who 
cut  his  bonds  with  a  pocket-knife. 

"  I  saw  it  all,"  exclaimed  the  major.  "  Go  for 
them,  men,  every  one  of  the  rascals  deserves  death  !  " 
And  stooping  over  the  dead  rebel,  he  took  from  his 
bosom  a  bolo  and  joined  in  the  attack.  "  They  are 
a  pack  of  cowards  —  a  mere  set  of  camp  followers." 

The  major  was  right;  the  rebels  in  the  house 
were  no  regularly  organized  body,  and  at  the  first 
sign  of  real  peril  they  fled  by  the  back  way,  over  a 
ditch  and  straight  for  the  nearest  jungle.  But  our 
friends  were  determined  that  they  should  not  escape 
thus  easily,  and  pursued  them  for  nearly  half  a  mile, 
killing  one  more  and  wounding  three  others.  Long 
afterward  they  learned  that  those  who  had  thus  for- 
feited their  lives  were  bandits  from  the  mountains 
back  of  San  Isidro.  They  had  joined  the  forces 
under  General  Aguinaldo,  merely  for  the  booty  to 
be  picked  up  in  the  towns  through  which  the  rebel 
army  passed. 


222  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

As  soon  as  the  contest  had  come  to  an  end,  Ber 
nurried  back  to  where  he  had  left  Gilbert  The 
wound  from  which  the  young  Southerner  was  suf- 
fering was  painful,  but  not  dangerous.  Yet  it  was 
likely  to  put  Gilbert  in  the  hospital  for  the  best  part 
of  a  month. 

"  It's  too  bad  —  I  thought  I  could  see  the  thing 
through  to  the  end,"  said  Gilbert,  shaking  his  head 
dolefully. 

"You'll  have  to  take  your  dose  as  I  did,"  an- 
swered Ben.  "  I  am  glad  it  is  not  serious.  Our 
regiment  couldn't  afford  to  lose  such  a  brave  fellow 
as  you." 

"  Brave  ?  Didn't  I  hang  back  until  you  proposed 
to  go  out  alone,  Ben  ?  If  anybody  was  brave,  it  was 
you,"  and  then  Gilbert  turned  his  face  away  to  con- 
ceal the  pain  that  was  coming  on. 

The  hospital  corps  was  so  busy  that  Gilbert  could 
not  be  carried  back  of  the  firing  line  for  some  time. 
Feeling  that  there  would  be  no  more  fighting  that 
day,  Ben  decided  to  remain  by  his  old  chum,  and 
requested  Sorrel  to  do  likewise,  leaving  the  others 
to  accompany  Major  Morris  back  to  the  command 
propero  In  the  meantime,  a  skirmish  line  was 
stretched  to  the  north  of  the  cane-brake,  that  the 


THE   TORNADO   IN   THE   CANE-BRAKE  223 

insurgents  might  not  regain  any  of  the  lost  terri- 
tory. 

It  was  frightfully  hot,  but  scarcely  had  Major 
Morris  left  with  his  party  than  a  faint  breeze  sprang 
up  which  gradually  increased  to  a  fair-sized  wind. 
Making  Gilbert  as  comfortable  as  possible  under 
some  of  the  tallest  of  the  cane,  Ben  and  Sorrel  sat 
down  beside  him  to  do  what  they  could  to  help  him 
forget  his  pain. 

The  three  had  been  sitting  in  the  shade  for  the 
best  part  of  half  an  hour,  and  Sorrel  was  sharpening 
his  knife  on  the  side  leather  of  his  shoe,  when, 
glancing  up,  Ben  noticed  a  peculiar  cloud  in  the  sky 
overhead. 

"  That  looks  rather  queer,"  he  remarked.  "  Does 
that  denote  a  wind-storm,  Sorrel  ?  " 

"  It  denotes  something,  that's  sartin,"  responded 
the  mountaineer,  surveying  the  cloud  with  care. 
"  It's  something  I  ain't  seed  out  yere  yit,"  and  he 
leaped  to  his  feet 

The  cloud  was  about  as  large  as  a  barrel  in  ap- 
pearance, and  of  a  deep  black  color.  It  seemed  to 
be  whirling  around  and  around,  and  as  it  came  for- 
ward began  to  expand.  Then  it  shot  off  to  the 
southward,  but  not  out  of  sight. 


224  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

"  I'm  glad  it's  gone,"  said  Gilbert,  who  had 
roused  up  to  watch  the  strange  thing.  "  I  don't 
want  to  get  caught  in  a  western  cyclone  —  and  that 
cloud  looks  like  those  I  have  heard  described." 

"  The  rainy  season  is  coming  on  here,  and  I  pre- 
sume we  are  bound  to  have  more  or  less  tornadoes," 
answered  Ben.  "  They  say  that  last  year  they  were 
something  awful  along  the  seacoast." 

The  cloud  was  circling  around  the  southern  hori- 
zon, but  now  it  turned  once  again  and  came  slowly 
toward  them.  While  it  was  yet  quarter  of  a  mile 
away,  it  shot  down  to  earth  and  a  strange  humming 
sound  reached  their  ears,  followed  by  a  whistling 
that  caused  each  of  them  to  shiver. 

"  It's  a  whirlwind  !  "  yelled  Sorrel.  "  Come  into 
yonder  hollow,  cap'n  !  "  and  he  caught  hold  of  Gil- 
bert and  lifted  him  up.  The  hollow  he  mentioned 
was  less  than  fifty  feet  away,  yet  to  reach  it  in  time 
was  almost  impossible,  so  swiftly  did  the  tornado 
approach  them.  The  air  became  black  as  night  and 
was  filled  with  cane,  grass,  and  branches  of  trees. 
It  struck  the  house  in  the  clearing,  and  with  a  single 
mighty  crash  the  structure  went  up  into  the  air, 
to  fall  with  another  crash  a  hundred  yards  beyond. 

Running  with  the  tall  Tennesseean,  Ben  pitched 


THE   TORNADO   IN   THE   CANE-BRAKE  225 

into  the  hollow  just  as  the  first  of  the  tornado  hurled 
itself  at  them.  Down  came  the  mountaineer,  but 
taking  good  care  that  Gilbert  should  not  be  hurt  by 
his  quick  leap.  Then  all  fell  flat,  with  their  faces 
to  earth. 

It  was  like  some  horrible  nightmare  to  Ben,  —  the 
whistling  wind  and  the  strange  humming,  the  black- 
ness, and  the  whirling  cane  and  tree  limbs.  In 
some  places  the  ground  was  furrowed  up  as  by  a 
plough,  and  down  on  their  heads  came  dirt  and 
grass,  and  then  a  shower  of  stalks  that  buried  them 
completely.  And  still  the  wind  kept  up,  in  a  mad- 
der gallop  than  ever.  Ben  felt  as  if  every  moment 
was  going  to  be  his  last. 

The  time  was  an  age;  yet  by  the  watch  it  was  not 
yet  five  minutes  when  the  tornado  had  departed, 
leaving  its  track  of  ruin  behind.  But  still  the  party 
of  three  under  the  cane-stalks  lay  still,  wondering  if 
it  was  safe  to  get  up. 

"Do  yer  calkerlate  it's  over,  cap'n ? "  came  from 
Sorrel,  after  a  painful  pause. 

"  It  appears  to  be,  but  there  is  no  telling  what 
such  a  thing  will  do  next,"  answered  the  young  cap- 
tain, as  he  pressed  on  the  stalks  over  him,  and  got 
up.     "  Gilbert,  are  you  hurt  ?  " 
Q 


226      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  No,"  came  with  a  gasp.  "  But,  Ben,  that  was  — 
was  a  terror,  wasn't  it  ?  " 

"  It  was,  Gilbert,  and  something  I  never  want  to 
witness  again." 

By  this  time  Sorrel  was  also  on  his  feet  and  haul- 
ing Gilbert  into  daylight.  The  cloud  was  gone,  and 
the  sun  shone  as  brightly  as  ever.  But  at  a  great 
distance  they  saw  the  tornado  sweeping  up  into  the 
mountains. 

"  We  are  well  out  of  it,"  was  Ben's  comment,  as 
they  watched  the  cloud  until  it  was  out  of  sight. 
"That  played  sad  havoc  here.  I  wonder  what  it 
will  do  in  the  mountains  ?  " 

No  one  could  answer  that  question,  and  no  one 
tried.  Ben  would  have  been  very  much  surprised 
had  anybody  told  him  that  the  same  tornado  which 
had  visited  him  was  also  to  visit  his  brother  Larry. 
But  so  it  proved,  as  we  shall  speedily  see. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE   FLIGHT   FOR   LIBERTY 

"  Well,  this  is  getting  too  monotonous  for  any- 
thing." 

It  was  Larry  who  spoke,  and  he  sat  on  the  stump 
of  a  tree  at  the  mouth  of  a  wide  cave,  gazing  dis- 
consolately at  a  fire  which  several  insurgents  were 
trying  to  build. 

The  place  was  on  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  backed  up 
by  still  higher  mountains.  On  every  hand  were 
sharp  rocks  and  trees,  with  a  tangle  of  thorns. 
Small  wonder,  then,  that  Aguinaldo  and  his  cohorts 
considered  these  fastnesses  inaccessible  for  American 
troops.  No  regular  body  could  have  gotten  to  such 
a  place,  and  to  forward  supplies  hither  was  totally 
out  of  the  question. 

The  rebels  numbered  fifteen,  all  mountaineers  and 
strong.  At  General  Luna's  request  they  had  brought 
ten  prisoners  to  the  spot,  and  the  other  prisoners 
were  to  come  up  some  time  later.  Why  the  Filipinos 
thus  divided  the  men  they  had  taken  is  not  definitely 

227 


228  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

known,  yet  divided  they  were,  until  some  escaped 
and  others  died  or  were  given  up. 

Since  Larry  had  been  captured  he  had  passed 
through  half  a  dozen  different  hands.  It  must  be 
said  he  had  been  treated  fairly  well,  better,  perhaps, 
than  many  of  my  readers  may  suppose.  To  be  sure, 
his  clothing  was  in  rags  and  his  shoes  were  almost 
minus  their  soles,  but  in  these  respects  he  was  no 
worse  off  than  those  who  kept  him  captive.  Then, 
too,  the  food  given  him  was  very  plain,  but  the  rebels 
ate  the  same,  and  to  complain,  therefore,  would  have 
been  worse  than  useless. 

Larry  had  missed  Barton  Brownell,  for  the  pair 
had  been  fairly  friendly,  as  we  know.  With  the 
transferal  to  new  quarters  the  young  sailor  had 
struck  up  an  acquaintanceship  with  Dan  Leroy,  one 
of  the  YorktowrCs  men,  also  a  prisoner.  A  number 
of  the  sailors  from  the  Yorktown  —  in  fact,  a  boatload, 
had  been  captured,  but  Leroy  had  become  separated 
from  his  messmates  at  the  very  start. 

"  Yes,  it  is  monotonous,  lad,"  said  Leroy,  who  was 
resting  at  Larry's  feet.  "But,  as  I've  said  a  hundred 
times  afore,  we  can't  help  ourselves,  consequently, 
make  the  best  on  it.  Ain't  that  sound  argyment, 
lad?" 


THE  FLIGHT  FOR   LIBERTY  22S 

"  I  reckon  so,  Leroy,  but  —  but  —  " 

"  When  ye  git  as  old  as  I  am  you'll  see  things  in  a 
different  light.  We  can't  complain  o'  the  treatment 
here,  lad." 

"  But  I  would  like  to  know  how  the  war  is  going, 
and  if  my  brother  knows  I  am  alive." 

"  Reckon  the  war  is  goin'  agin  the  Tagals,  or  they 
wouldn't  be  a-pushing  back  into  the  mountains  like 
this." 

"  It's  a  wonder  they  don't  try  to  exchange  us." 

At  this  Dan  Leroy  smiled  grimly.  "  Might  be  as 
how  they  consider  us  too  vallyble,"  he  suggested. 
He  was  a  short,  stout  fellow,  much  given  to  joking, 
and  rarely  out  of  good  humor. 

It  was  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and 
from  a  long  distance  came  the  sounds  of  firing. 
But  the  booming  came  from  big  field-pieces,  so 
Larry  knew  it  must  be  far  away,  and  so  it  gave  him 
small  hope. 

The  rebels  had  just  brought  in  some  fresh  meat, 
procured  from  the  town  at  the  foot  of  the  long  hill, 
and  they  speedily  proceeded  to  make  a  beef  stew 
with  rice  and  yams.  The  smell  was  appetizing,  and 
as  nobody  had  had  a  square  meal  that  day,  Larry 
brightened  over  the  prospect. 


230  THE  CAMPAIGN  OP   THE   JUNGLE 

The  cave  in  the  hillside  was  irregular  in  shape, 
running  back  to  a  series  of  openings  which  nobody 
had  ever  yet  explored.  In  this  cave  the  insurgents 
kept  some  of  their  supplies,  brought  up  from  San 
Fernando,  San  Isidro,  and  other  places.  It  was  a 
fact  that  Aguinaldo  hardly  knew  where  to  "  jump  " 
next. 

Before  nightfall  the  dinner  was  ready,  and  the 
chief  of  the  rebels  had  the  prisoners  supplied  with 
bowls  of  the  stew.  "  Eat  all  of  eet,"  he  said,  with 
a  grin.  "  For  maybe  no  geet  such  t'ings  to- 
morrow." 

"Thanks,  we'll  fill  up  then,"  responded  Larry, 
and  set  to  with  a  will,  as  did  all  the  other  prisoners. 

The  captives  were  unarmed,  and  though  the  rebels 
watched  them,  they  were  allowed  more  or  less  of  the 
freedom  of  the  camp.  Finishing  his  bowl  of  stew, 
Larry  leaned  over  to  where  Leroy  sat. 

"  Leroy,  if  we  can  manage  to  get  a  kettle  of  that 
stew,  I'll  be  for  trying  to  get  away  to-night,"  he 
whispered. 

"  And  how  are  ye  going  to  get  it,  lad  ?  "  asked  the 
sailor. 

"Wait  and  you  will  see,"  was  the  answer,  and 
Larry  arose  and  sauntered  over  toward  the  fire. 


THE  FLIGHT  FOR  LIBERTY  231 

"  I  spilt  some  of  the  stew  on  the  ground,"  he  said, 
which  was  true,  although  the  amount  had  not  been 
large.     "  Can  I  have  more  ?  " 

"  Yes,  take  what  you  will,"  returned  the  insur- 
gent chief,  who  felt  in  good  humor,  through  having 
obtained  a  leave  of  absence,  to  start  on  the  morn- 
ing following.  "  And  give  some  to  your  friends. 
We'll  fill  up  for  once." 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  Larry,  and  hurried  to  the 
other  prisoners  with  the  big  pot  from  over  the  fire. 
The  prisoners  had  a  large  tin  kettle  for  water,  fitted 
with  a  cover  so  that  bugs  might  be  kept  out,  and 
this  he  filled  to  the  brim,  and  also  gave  the  others 
all  they  wished. 

"  Going  to  eat  all  of  that  ?  "  queried  one  of  the 
men,  with  a  short  laugh. 

"  Sometime  —  not  now,"  answered  Larry.  Then 
he  took  the  pot  back  to  the  fire  and  carried  his  bowl 
and  the  kettle  into  the  cave.  At  once  Leroy 
followed  him. 

"  And  now,  what's  this  nonsense  you're  talkin' 
about  running  away  ? "  demanded  the  Torhtown 
sailor,  as  soon  as  they  were  alone. 

"I'm  going  to  try  my  luck  to-night,  Leroy.  If 
you  don't  want  to  go,  you  can  stay  with  the  others." 


232  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  But  how  are  you  going  ?  There's  a  guard 
around  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  they  will  shoot  you 
on  sight." 

"I'm  not  going  to  try  the  foot  of  the  hill  —  at 
least,  not  this  side  of  it." 

"Well,  you  can't  get  to  the  other,  for  that  cliff 
over  this  cave  is  in  the  way." 

"I'm  going  to  explore  the  caves  back  of  this. 
They  must  lead  to  somewhere." 

The  old  sailor  shook  his  head.  "More'n  likely 
they  lead  to  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  You'll  fall 
into   some   pitfall,   and    that    will   be    the    end    of 

you." 

"  I'll  light  a  torch  as  soon  as  I  am  out  of  sight  of 
this  place,  and  I'll  be  very  careful  where  I  step." 

"  This  cave  may  be  as  big  as  the  Mammoth  Cave 
of  Kentucky.  You'll  get  lost  in  one  of  the  cham- 
bers and  never  find  your  way  out." 

"I'll  have  to  risk  that.  But  I'm  bound  to  try 
it  —  if  they  give  me  the  chance." 

"  You're  foolish.  Why,  confound  it,  I've  half  of 
a  mind  to  report  the  scheme." 

"  Oh,  Leroy,  surely  you  won't  do  that." 

"  I  mean  just  to  save  you  from  yourself,  Larry." 

"I  don't  intend  to  remain  a  prisoner  until  I  am 


THE  FLIGHT   FOR  LIBERTY  233 

baldheaded,  Leroy.  I'm  going  to  try  to  escape  — 
and  that's  the  end  of  it." 

"  Will  you  take  any  of  the  others  along  ?  " 

"If  they  want  to  go." 

"  There  won't  a  soul  go  —  and  I  know  it,"  re- 
sponded the  stout  sailor,  in  positive  tones. 

When  the  other  prisoners  came  in,  he  told  them  of 
Larry's  plan.  One  and  all  of  them  agreed  it  was 
foolhardy. 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  any  opening,"  said  one. 
"  Or  if  there  is,  it's  so  high  up  in  the  mountains  that 
you'll  never  reach  it." 

"  And  what  are  you  going  to  do  for  eating  ? 
That  kettle  of  stew  won't  last  forever,"  said 
another. 

So  the  talk  ran  on,  but  the  more  he  was  opposed, 
the  more  headstrong  did  Larry  become  —  and  that, 
as  old  readers  know,  was  very  much  like  him. 

"  I  shall  go,  and  good-bye  to  all  of  you,"  he  said, 
in  conclusion.  And  then  he  shook  hands  with  one 
after  another,  Leroy  last  of  all.  The  YorktowrCs 
man  was  trembling. 

"  I  hate  ter  see  ye  do  it,  lad,"  he  said.  "  It  seems 
like  going  to  death,  but  —  but  —  hang  it,  I'll  go 
along,  so  there  !  " 


234      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  But  you  needn't  if  you  don't  wish  to,"  protested 
the  youth.     "  I  am  not  afraid  to  go  alone." 

"But  I  am  a-going,  and  we'll  sink  or  swim 
together,  Larry.     Who  else  goes  ?  " 

Dan  Leroy  looked  from  one  face  to  the  next. 
But  not  another  prisoner  spoke,  for  each  had  taken 
a  short  walk  to  the  rear  caves  and  seen  quite  enough 
of  them.  Then  a  guard  came  in,  and  the  strange 
meeting  broke  up  immediately. 

The  prisoners  lay  down  to  rest,  but  not  one  of 
them  could  go  to  sleep.  All  of  the  others  were 
waiting  for  Larry  and  Leroy's  departure.  At  last, 
satisfied  that  all  was  right  for  the  night,  the  guard 
went  outside,  to  join  several  of  his  companions 
around  the  camp-fire. 

"  Now,  then,"  whispered  Larry,  and  arose,  to  be 
followed  immediately  by  Dan  Leroy.  The  kettle 
secured,  they  hurried  for  the  rear  of  the  outer  cave, 
without  so  much  as  looking  at  the  others,  who  raised 
up  to  watch  their  shadowy  disappearance. 

The  flight  for  liberty  had  begun.  Would  it  suc- 
ceed or  fail? 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  CAVES  UNDER  THE  MOUNTAIN 

For  a  distance  of  five  hundred  feet  the  way  was 
known  to  both  Larry  and  his  sailor  friend,  and  the 
pair  passed  along  swiftly,  guided  in  part  by  the  flick- 
ering rays  from  the  camp-fire  outside  of  the  main 
cave. 

"  Have  a  care  now,  lad,"  whispered  Leroy,  as 
they  reached  a  narrow  passage,  which  turned  first 
to  the  left  and  then  upward.  "  The  roof  is  low, 
and  you  don't  want  for  to  dash  your  brains  out 
on  the  rocks." 

"Never  fear  but  I'll  be  as  careful  as  I  can," 
responded  the  youth,  feeling  his  way  along.  "  Bet- 
ter keep  close,  Leroy,  that  we  don't  become  sepa- 
rated." 

The  turn  made,  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  ascend 
the  sloping  floor,  with  here  and  there  a  rough 
bowlder  to  cross,  or  a  hollow  in  which  one  might 
fall  and  break  a  leg  without   half  trying,  as  the 

235 


236      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

Yorhtown  sailor  said.  Presently  Leroy  called  a 
halt. 

"Better  light  the  torch  now,  Larry." 

"I  was  going  to  save  it,"  was  the  reply.  "There 
is  no  telling  how  long  we  may  have  to  depend 
upon  it." 

"  That  is  true ;  but  it's  no  longer  safe  to  walk 
in  this  pitchy  darkness." 

Leroy  was  provided  with  matches,  used  in  smok- 
ing his  pipe,  which  had  not  been  denied  him,  and 
striking  one  he  set  fire  to  an  end  of  the  dry  cedar 
branch  which  Larry  had  laid  away  over  a  week 
before,  when  the  thought  of  running  away  had  first 
crossed  his  mind.  At  the  start  the  branch  splut- 
tered wofully  and  threatened  to  go  out,  but  by 
coaxing  it  remained  lit,  and  presently  burst  into  a 
flame  that  was  sufficient  to  see  by  for  a  circle  of 
twenty  or  thirty  feet. 

On  they  plodded,  up  an  incline  that  seemed  to 
have  no  end,  and  then  around  another  turn.  Here 
the  chamber  widened  out,  and  beyond  there  were 
branches,  two  to  the  left  and  one  to  the  right. 

"  This  is  as  far  as  I've  ever  been,"  said  the  boy. 
"  The  passages  beyond  seemed  to  lead  downward 
for  part  of  the  way,  and  it's  impossible  to  judge 


On  they  plodded,  up  an  incline  that  seemed  to  have  no  end. 
—  Page  236. 


THE  CAVES  UNDER  THE  MOUNTAIN     237 

which  is  the  best  to  take.  But  I  was  of  a  mind  to 
try  that  one  on  the  right." 

"  Well,  I  reckon  as  how  the  right  ought  to  be 
right,"  laughed  Leroy.  "  If  it  ain't,  all  we  can  do 
is  to  come  back  to  here  an'  try  over  again,   eh?" 

"  We  haven't  got  time  to  waste  in  experimenting, 
Leroy.  This  is  a  serious  business.  We  are  liable 
now  to  be  shot  on  sight." 

"  An'  nobody  knows  thet  better  nor  Dan  Leroy, 
your  humble  servant.  An'  if  you  say  try  one  o' 
the  other  passages,  I'm  jes'  as  willin'." 

"  No,  we'll  take  that  on  the  right,"  returned  the 
youth,  and  started  onward  without   further   delay. 

The  passage  was  a  crooked  one,  not  over  ten 
feet  wide  in  any  one  part,  and  but  little  over  the 
height  of  a  man.  At  one  place  a  great  rock  blocked 
the  way,  and  over  this  they  went  on  their  hands  and 
knees. 

"  Kind  o'  a  tight  squeeze,"  remarked  Leroy. 
"If  that  rock  war  a  bit  bigger,  we  wouldn't  be 
able  to  git  over  it  at  all." 

"Hark!"  cried  Larry,  coming  to  a  halt.  "What 
is  that,  somebody  calling?" 

They  listened,  and  from  a  distance  ahead  made 
out    a  low  murmur  of  some  kind.      "  It's  water 


238      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

running  over  the  rocks,"  cried  Leroy.  "  I  hope 
it's  a  river  leading  to  the  outer  world." 

"  Oh,  so  do  I ! "  ejaculated  the  boy,  and  both 
started  onward  eagerly.  Long  before  the  fall  of 
water  was  gained  they  found  themselves  splashing 
in  an  underground  stream  up  to  their  ankles.  The 
waterfall  was  underground,  coming  from  the  rocks 
overhead  and  running  into  the  stream,  which,  in 
turn,  sank  out  of  sight  some  distance  further  on. 

"Nothing  in  that,"  muttered  Leroy,  his  face 
falling. 

Nevertheless,  they  stopped  for  a  drink,  for  the 
tramp  through  the  caves  had  made  them  thirsty. 
The  old  sailor  held  the  torch,  while  Larry  carried 
the  kettle.  It  was  well  that  the  top  of  the  kettle 
was  on  tight,  otherwise  the  contents  would  have 
been  spilled  long  before  this. 

Beyond  the  waterfall  the  cave  opened  out  once 
more  in  fan  shape,  the  roof  running  upward  to 
a  high  arch,  from  which  hung  stupendous  stalac- 
tites of  white  and  brown.  Here  the  water  dripped 
down  in  the  form  of  a  fine  rain. 

"  We're  in  a  shower,  lad,  even  though  we  are 
underground,"  remarked  Leroy.  "I  must  say  I 
hope  this  don't  last.     If  it  does,  we'll  soon  be  wet 


THE   CAVES    UNDER   THE   MOUNTAIN"  239 

to  the  skin."  The  vaulted  cave  soon  came  to  an 
end,  however,  and  now  they  found  themselves  in 
an  opening  cut  up  into  a  hundred  different  cham- 
bers, like  a  coal  mine  supported  by  arches.  Each 
looked  at  the  other  in  perplexity. 

"We  can  easily  miss  the  way  here,"  said  Larry, 
soberly.  "  We  had  better  lay  out  a  course  and 
stick  to  it." 

"  Right  you  are,  lad."  Leroy  pointed  with  his 
hand.  "  This  seems  as  good  a  trail  as  any.  Shall 
we  follow  it  ?  " 

"Yes."  And  forward  it  was  again.  Presently 
they  came  to  another  chamber,  and  here  the  slope 
was  again  upward,  much  to  their  satisfaction.  "If 
we  keep  on  going  upward,  we  are  bound  to  get 
out  at  the  top,  sometime,"  was  the  way  Larry 
calculated. 

Climbing  now  became  difficult,  and  in  a  number 
of  places  each  had  to  help  the  other  along.  Then 
came  a  wall  twelve  feet  high,  and  here  they  were 
compelled  to  halt. 

"It  looks  as  if  we  were  blocked,"  remarked  the 
Yorktown  sailor  after  an  examination. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  give  up  yet,"  answered  the 
boy.     "  If  we  can't  get  up  any  other  way,  we  can 


240  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

build  a  stairs  with  those  loose  stones  we  just 
passed." 

"  Hurrah !  you've  solved  the  difficulty  ! "  exclaimed 
the  old  sailor,  and  they  set  to  work  with  a  will. 
But  rolling  and  lifting  the  stones  into  place  was 
no  mean  job,  and  when  at  last  they  were  able  to 
pull  themselves  to  the  passageway  above,  both  were 
utterly  worn  out  and  glad  enough  to  sit  down. 
The  rest  lasted  longer  than  either  had  intended, 
for  Leroy,  who  had  not  slept  well  the  night 
before,  dozed  off,  and  Larry  was  not  of  a  heart  to 
wake  him  up.  So  the  boy  went  to  sleep  too,  and 
neither  awakened  until  early  morning. 

"  Hullo !  what's  this  ? "  cried  Leroy,  the  first  to 
open  his  eyes.  All  was  so  dark  about  him  — 
Larry  having  extinguished  the  torch  —  that  for  the 
minute  he  could  not  collect  his  senses.  Putting 
out  his  hand  he  touched  the  youth  on  the  face, 
and  Larry  awoke  instantly. 

They  were  both  hungry,  and  lighting  the  torch 
again,  warmed  up  the  kettle  of  stew,  and  then  ate 
about  one-third  of  the  stuff.  "  Touches  the  spot," 
cried  Leroy,  smacking  his  lips.  He  could  have 
eaten  much  more,  but  knew  it  was  best  to  be  careful 
of  their  supply  until  the  outer  world  was  gained. 


THE  CAVES  UNDER  THE  MOUNTAIN     24\ 

Much  refreshed  by  their  sleep,  but  somewhat 
stiff  from  the  dampness  and  the  unaccustomed 
work  of  the  evening  before,  they  proceed  on  their 
way,  still  climbing  upward  and  still  in  a  darkness, 
that  was  only  partly  dispelled  by  the  feeble  glare 
of  the  torch,  which  was  now  growing  alarmingly 
small. 

"The  light  won't  last  more  than  a  couple  o' 
hours,"  said  Leroy.  "  Perhaps  we  had  better  split 
the  stick  in  two."  This  was  done,  and  thus  the 
feeble  light  was  reduced  one-half. 

Would  the  caves  never  come  to  an  end?  Such 
was  the  question  Larry  asked  himself  over  and 
over  again.  Was  it  possible  that  they  were  to 
journey  so  far  only  to  find  themselves  trapped  at 
last  ?  The  thought  made  him  shiver,  and  he 
pushed  on  faster  than  ever. 

"  Do  you  know  what  I  think  ? "  said  Leroy,  an 
hour  later.  "  I  think  we  are  moving  around  in  a 
circle?" 

"A  circle?" 

"  Ay,  lad.  Don't  you  notice  how  the  passageway 
keeps  turning  to  the  right  ?  " 

Larry  had  noticed  it.  "  But  we  are  going 
upward,"  he  said. 


242  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  True ;  but  who  knows  but  what  we'll  be  going 
downward  presently." 

Still  they  kept  on,  but  now  Larry's  heart  began 
to  fail  him.  They  had  progressed  so  far,  had 
made  so  many  turns,  that  to  get  back  would  prob- 
ably be  impossible.  The  caves  were  so  vast  one 
might  wander  about  in  them  forever  —  if  one's 
food  did  not  give  out.  Larry  shivered  again  and 
clutched  the  precious  kettle  of  stew  tighter  than 
ever.  He  was  once  more  hungry,  but  resolved  to 
wait  until  the  pangs  of  hunger  increased  before 
reducing  the  stock  of  food. 

The  passageway  was  now  level  for  a  considera- 
ble distance,  with  here  and  there  a  rock  to  be 
climbed  over  or  a  crack  to  cross.  Both  had  just 
made  a  leap  over  an  opening  several  feet  wide 
when  Leroy  set  up  a  shout. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Larry,  eagerly. 

"  Put  the  torch  behind  ye,  lad,  an'  look  ahead. 
Perhaps  my  eyes  deceive  me,"  answered  the  old  sailor. 

Larry  did  as  requested,  and  gave  a  searching 
look  up  the  passageway.  No,  there  was  no  mis- 
taking it  —  there  was  a  faint  glimmer  of  light 
coming  from  what  appeared  to  be  a  bend.  He, 
too,  gave  a  shout,  and  both  set  off  on  a  run. 


THE  CAVES  UNDER  THE  MOUNTAIN     243 

As  they  sped  onward  the  light  became  brighter 
and  brighter,  until  the  torch  was  hardly  needed. 
They  were  running  side  by  side,  each  trying  to 
gain  the  outer  air  first. 

"  Look  out  !  "  suddenly  yelled  Leroy,  and  caught 
Larry  by  the  arm.  The  old  sailor  could  hardly 
stop,  and  had  to  throw  himself  flat,  dragging  the 
boy  down  on  top  of  him. 

A  few  feet  beyond  was  an  opening  twelve  to 
fifteen  feet  wide,  running  from  side  to  side  of  the 
passageway.  The  walls  of  the  opening  were  per- 
pendicular, and  the  hole  was  so  deep  that  when  a 
stone  was  dropped  into  it  they  could  scarcely  hear 
the  thing  strike  bottom. 

"  Here's  a  how-d'ye-do !  "  cried  Leroy,  gazing 
into  the  pit.  "  We  can't  jump  across  that,  no- 
how !  " 

"A  real  good  jumper  might,"  answered  Larry. 
"  But  I  shouldn't  want  to  try  it.  The  other  side 
seems  to  slope  down  toward  the  hole.  What's  to 
be  done?" 

Ah,  that  was  the  question.  It  looked  as  if  their 
advance  in  that  direction  was  cut  off  completely 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

BOXER   THE  SCOUT 

Much  chagrined,  man  and  boy  stood  on  the 
brink  of  the  chasm  before  them  and  gazed  at  the 
other  side.  It  was  sloping,  as  Larry  had  said,  and 
wet,  which  was  worse.  A  jump,  even  for  a  trained 
athlete,  would  have  been  perilous  in  the  extreme. 

"  Looks  like  we  were  stumped,"  remarked  Leroy, 
laconically. 

"  And  just  as  we  were  so  near  to  yonder  open- 
ing !  "  cried  Larry,  vexed  beyond  endurance.  "  If 
we  only  had  a  plank,  or  something." 

He  looked  around,  but  nothing  was  at  hand  but 
the  bare  stone  walls,  with  here  and  there  a  patch  of 
dirt  and  a  loose  stone.  He  walked  to  one  end  of 
the  hole. 

"  A  fellow  might  climb  along  yonder  shelf  if  he 
were  a  cat,"  he  said  dismally.  "  But  I  don't  believe 
a  human  being  could  do  it." 

"  No,  and  don't  you  go  for  to  try  it,"  put  in  the 
244 


BOXER   THE   SCOUT  245 

old  sailor.  "  If  you  do,  you'll  break  your  neck,  sure 
as  guns  is  guns." 

"Well,  we've  got  to  do  something,  Leroy." 

"  So  we  have ;  an'  I  move  we  sit  down  an'  eat  a 
bite  o'  the  stew.  Maybe  eatin'  will  put  some  new 
ideas'  into  our  heads." 

"  I'd  rather  wait  until  we  gain  the  open  air." 

"  But  we  can't  make  it  —  yet —  so  be  content,  lad. 
It's  something  to  know  thet  the  blue  sky  is  beyond." 

They  sat  down,  and  soon  finished  one-half  of 
what  remained  of  the  mess  in  the  kettle.  Never 
had  anything  tasted  sweeter,  and  it  was  only  by 
the  exercise  of  the  greatest  self-control  that  they 
kept  back  a  portion  of  the  food. 

"  Perhaps  we'll  have  to  go  back,  remember  that," 
said  Leroy,  as  he  put  the  cover  on  the  kettle  once 
more. 

"  Go  back  ?  No,  no,  Leroy  !  I'll  try  jumping 
over  first." 

"I  don't  think  I  shall.  Thet  hole—  What's 
that?" 

A  sound  had  reached  the  old  sailor's  ears,  com- 
ing from  some  distance  ahead.  It  was  the  sound 
of  footsteps  approaching. 

"  Somebody   is  coming  I  "    whispered  Larry,   and 


246  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

crouched  down.  Then  a  man  put  in  an  appear- 
ance, coming  from  the  opposite  end  of  the  passage- 
way. He  was  an  American  soldier,  hatless  and 
almost  in  tatters. 

"  Hullo  there  !  "  cried  Larry,  leaping  up.  "  Oh, 
but  I'm  glad  you  came  !  " 

At  the  cry  the  soldier  stopped  short  in  amaze- 
ment. Larry's  words  echoed  and  reechoed  through- 
out the  passage.  He  looked  toward  the  pair  at  the 
chasm,  but  could  make  out  little  saving  the  torch 
which  Leroy  was  holding. 

"  Who  calls  ?  "  he  asked  at  last. 

"  I  called,"  answered  the  boy.  "  Can't  you  see 
us  ?  We  are  two  lost  sailors,  and  we  can't  get 
over  this  beastly  hole.  Come  this  way,  but  be 
careful  of  where  you  step." 

"You  must  be  Americans  by  your  voices.  Am 
I  right?" 

"Yes;  and  you  are  an  American,  too,"  said 
Larry,  as  the  soldier  came  closer.  Soon  he  stood 
facing  them,  with  a  look  of  wonder  on  his  bronzed 
features. 

"How  did  you  get  here?"  he  demanded. 

"  It's  a  long  story,"  answered  Leroy.  "  We  es- 
caped from  some  rebels  at  the  other  end   of  this 


BOXER  THE  SCOUT  247 

cave,  and  we've  been  wandering  around  since  last 
night.  Are  you  alone,  or  are  our  forces  outside 
of  this  hole?" 

"  General  Lawton's  troops  are  a  good  many  miles 
from  here,"  answered  the  soldier.  "  I  am  one  of 
his  scouts,  and  I  became  separated  from  our  com- 
mand and  got  up  here  to  escape  being  hunted 
down  by  the  crowd  of  Filipinos  that  was  after 
me.  They  are  in  the  woods  just  outside  of  this 
hole." 

"Then  you  are  all  alone?"  said  Larry,  his  face 
falling  a  little. 

"  Yes,  although  I  think  a  couple  of  our  men 
must  be  in  this  vicinity.  We  are  pressing  the 
rebels  pretty  hard,  you  know." 

The  scout's  name  was  George  Boxer,  and  he 
was  one  of  the  best  marksmen  in  Chief  Young's 
command.  He  listened  to  their  story  with  inter- 
est, and  at  once  agreed  to  do  what  he  could  for 
them.  They  noted  with  satisfaction  that  he  was 
provided  with  both  a  rifle  and  a  pistol,  and  also 
a  belt  well  filled  with  ammunition. 

It  was  an  easy  matter  for  Boxer  to  make  his 
way  into  the  open  air  and  find  a  fallen  tree  limb 
of    sufficient    thickness   to   throw   over   the   chasm 


248  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

as  a  make-shift  bridge.  As  soon  as  the  limb  was 
secure,  Larry  and  Leroy  came  over,  and  then  the 
party  of  three  made  their  way  to  the  mouth  of 
the  cave. 

It  was  a  welcome  sight  to  see  the  sky  again 
and  the  sunshine,  and  Larry's  eyes  sparkled  as 
he  gazed  down  the  mountain-side  and  at  the  vast 
panorama  spread  out  before  him.  At  their  feet 
was  a  heavy  jungle,  and  beyond  a  plain  and  a 
small  hill,  where  a  large  body  of  insurgents  were 
encamping. 

"It's  good  to  be  in  the  fresh  air  again,  eh, 
lad  ? "  observed  Leroy.  "  But  I'm  afraid  we'll 
have  a  good  bit  o'  trouble  gettin'  past  them 
rebels,"  he  added  to  George  Boxer. 

"We  can't  get  past  them  in  the  daytime," 
answered  the  scout ;  "  but  I  think  we  can  make 
it  after  the  sun  goes  down.  And  it  will  take  us 
till  sundown  to  get  to  the  bottom  of  this  moun- 
tain, if  I  am  not  mistaken." 

Now  they  were  in  the  open,  it  was  decided  to 
discard  the  kettle ;  and  the  three  ate  up  what 
remained  of  the  stew,  along  with  the  single  ration 
which  Boxer  carried.  Then  they  began  the  de- 
scent   of    the    mountain-side,   slipping    over    rocks 


BOXER   THE  SCOUT  249 

and  dirt  as  best  they  could,  and  finding  their 
way  around  many  an  ugly  pitfall. 

"  I  suppose  you  think  it's  queer  I  came  up 
so  far,"  said  Boxer,  as  they  hurried  downward. 
"  The  truth  is  I  was  so  closely  pursued  I  didn't 
realize  how  far  I  was  going.  Those  rebels  can 
climb  the  mountains  like  so  many  wildcats.  I'm 
afraid  we'll  never  clean  them  out  if  they  take 
a  stand  up  here." 

It  was  hot,  and  now  Leroy  gazed  from  time  to 
time  at  the  sky.  "A  storm  or  something  is  com- 
ing," he  said. 

"Yes,  something  is  coming,"  added  Boxer.  "I 
can  tell  it  by  the  way  the  birds  are  flying  about. 
They  seem  to  be  troubled." 

"I  see  a  cloud  away  off  to  the  southward," 
put  in  Larry.  "  It's  not  large,  but  it's  mighty 
black." 

No  more  was  said  just  then  upon  the  subject ; 
and  they  continued  their  journey  down  the  moun- 
tain-side until  they  came  to  a  fair-sized  stream, 
where  they  quenched  their  thirst  and  took  a 
wash.  They  were  about  to  go  on  again  when 
Boxer  held  up  his  hand  as  a  warning. 

"Great  gophers,  boys,  we  are  running  right  into 


250      THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

a  nest  of  the  rebels  ! "  he  whispered.  "  Back  with 
you,  before  it  is  too  late." 

They  looked  ahead  and  saw  that  the  scout  was 
right.  They  started  to  go  back ;  and  as  they 
turned,  a  Mauser  rang  out  and  a  bullet  clipped 
the  bushes  beside  them. 

"  Discovered  !  "  came  from  Leroy's  lips.  "  Larry, 
I'm  afraid  the  jig  is  up.     Those  Filipi  — " 

Crack  !  It  was  Boxer's  rifle  that  rang  out,  and 
as  the  scout  was  a  sharpshooter,  it  may  be  taken 
for  granted  that  he  brought  down  his  man.  Then 
the  three  set  off  on  a  run  along  the  side  of  the 
mountain  to  where  a  slight  rise  of  ground  prom- 
ised better  hiding. 

"  We  can't  do  much  against  such  a  crowd,"  said 
the  scout.  "  But  in  a  good  spot  we  can  hold  out 
awhile,  provided  one  of  you  can  use  my  pistol." 

"I  can  fire  tolerably  straight,"  answered  Leroy, 
and  took  the  weapon.  Soon  the  rise  was  gained, 
and  they  plunged  in  behind  a  tangle  of  pines. 
The  Filipinos  were  following  them,  although  tak- 
ing good  care  not  to  expose  themselves  needlessly 
to  the  fire  of  such  a  crack  marksman  as  Boxer 
had  proved  himself  to  be. 

From  behind    the   tangle   of   growth,   the   three 


BOXER   THE   SCOUT  251 

Americans  watched  the  skilful  advance  of  the 
enemy  with  dismay.  "They  are  trying  to  sur- 
round us  !  "  whispered  Boxer.  Then  like  a  flash 
his  rifle  went  up.  The  report  was  followed  by 
a  yell  of  pain,  and  a  Filipino  fell  into  view  from 
behind  a  tree  less  than  fifty  yards  distant.  The 
poor  fellow  was  hit  in  the  side,  but  managed  to 
crawl  back  into  cover  again,  groaning  dismally. 

Leroy  also  fired,  a  second  later,  aiming  at  a 
tall  Tagal  who  was  crossing  a  clearing  to  their 
left.  If  he  hit  his  mark,  the  rebel  gave  no  sign, 
but  the  man  disappeared  in  a  great  hurry.  Then 
came  a  crashing  through  the  bushes  below  and 
to  the  left,  proving  that  the  Filipinos  were  mass- 
ing in  those  directions. 

"  Perhaps  we  had  better  try  to  crawl  away  from 
this  — "  began  Larry,  when  a  humming  sound 
caught  his  ear.  At  the  same  time  the  sky  grew 
black. 

"  Look  !  look  !  "  yelled  Leroy.  "  What  is  this 
—  the  end  of  the  world  ?  " 

All  looked  up.  The  humming  had  increased  to 
a  whistle,  and  now  came  a  crashing  of  trees  and 
brush  mingled  with  the  wild  cries  of  the  Fili- 
pinos   as    they    rushed    away    toward    a    near-by 


252  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF   THE  JUNGLE 

mountain  stream.  They  knew  what  was  coming, 
even  if  our  friends  did  not. 

And  then  the  tornado  was  almost  upon  them. 
I  say  almost,  for,  thanks  to  an  all-ruling  Provi- 
dence, it  did  not  strike  them  fairly,  but  rushed 
to  one  side,  where  the  Filipinos  had  been  gather- 
ing. The  light  of  day  seemed  to  die  out  utterly, 
and  the  air  was  filled  with  flying  debris  and 
screaming  birds  and  wild  animals  made  homeless 
on  the  instant.  The  very  earth  seemed  to  quake 
with  the  violence  of  the  trees  uprooted,  and 
branches  and  dirt  flew  all  over  the  Americans, 
until  they  were  buried  as  completely  as  Ben  and  his 
companions  had  been,  Larry  thought  it  was  indeed 
the  end  of  the  world,  and  breathed  a  silent  prayer 
that  God  might  watch  over  him  and  those  he  loved. 

At  last  the  rushing  wind  ceased,  and  the  crashing 
was  lost  in  the  distance.  But  the  birds  kept  up 
their  wild  cries,  and  for  several  seconds  neither 
Larry  nor  those  with  him  moved,  wondering  if  that 
was  the  end  of  the  tornado,  or  if  worse  was  to 
follow.  But  it  was  the  end,  and  gradually  they 
came  forth  one  after  another,  to  gaze  on  the  mighty 
wreckage  about  them.  It  was  Leroy  who  raised  his 
hand  solemnly  to  heaven. 


BOXER   THE  SCOUT  253 

"  I  thank  God  that  we  have  been  spared,"  he  said, 
and  Larry  and  the  scout  uttered  an  amen. 

Whether  or  not  to  leave  the  vicinity  was  a  ques- 
tion. At  last,  seeing  no  more  of  the  enemy,  they 
plucked  up  courage  enough  to  move  down  the 
mountain-side  once  more.  But  the  tornado  had 
made  the  passage  more  difficult  than  ever,  and  several 
times  they  had  to  turn  back.  Nightfall  found 
them  still  some  distance  from  the  plain,  with  yet 
another  jungle  to  pass  before  the  open  would  be 
gained. 

"  We  might  as  well  make  a  night  of  it  here,"  said 
Boxer,  and  footsore  and  weary  Larry  and  Leroy 
agreed  with  him.  It  was  not  long  before  all 
dropped  asleep,  too  tired  to  stand  guard,  and  hardly 
deeming  that  one  was  necessary. 

The  tornado  had  killed  numerous  birds  and  small 
animals,  and  it  was  easy  to  pick  up  a  plentiful 
breakfast. 

"  I  don't  know  about  making  a  fire,"  said  Leroy. 
"  Those  rebels  may  spot  us  before  we  are  aware." 

Yet  they  were  too  hungry  to  go  without  eating, 
and  in  the  end  they  built  a  fire  of  the  driest  wood 
they  could  find,  and  while  Boxer  cooked  the  birds, 
Larry  and  the  old  sailor  scattered  the  smoke  with 


254  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

their  jackets,  so  that  it  might  not  go  up  in  a  cloud, 
and  also  kept  their  eyes  open  for  the  possible 
appearance  of  the  rebels.  But  the  tornado  had 
scared  the  insurgents  as  much  as  it  had  anybody, 
and  not  one  showed  himself. 

By  eight  o'clock  they  were  once  more  on  the 
way,  Boxer  leading  with  his  gun  ready  for  use, 
Larry  in  the  centre,  and  Leroy  bringing  up  the  rear 
with  the  pistol. 

They  were  just  entering  the  jungle  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain  when  a  strange  moaning  reached 
their  ears  and  all  halted.  There  was  a  silence,  and 
then  the  moaning  started  up  again. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  questioned  Larry.  "  It  can't  be 
a  human  being." 

"  I  think  I  know  what  it  is,"  returned  the  scout. 
"  Wait  here  till  I  make  sure,"  and  he  glided  ahead 
and  was  soon  lost  to  sight  under  a  clump  of  tall 
trees  which  grew  in  somewhat  of  a  clearing.  Soon 
they  heard  him  shouting  for  them  to  come  on. 

It  was  a  water  buffalo  that  was  moaning.  The 
beast  had  become  caught  under  a  partly  fallen  tree 
and  could  not  release  itself.  It  was  a  handsome 
animal  and  weighed  a  good  many  hundred  pounds. 

"Here's   meat  and  to   spare  I  "cried  Boxer,  and 


BOXEE   THE  SCOUT  255 

drawing  forth  a  hunting  knife,  he  put  the  caribao 
out  of  his  misery  in  short  order.  "This  is  some 
more  work  of  that  tornado,"  he  went  on,  as  he  pro- 
ceeded to  cut  out  a  choice  steak.  "  We  won't  starve 
for  the  next  forty-eight  hours." 

"  I  hope  by  that  time  we'll  have  reached  the 
army,"  answered  Larry,  and  took  the  portion  of 
meat  handed  to  him.  It  was  not  a  dainty  thing  to 
carry,  but  he  had  to  shoulder  it,  since  Boxer  and 
Leroy  were  carrying  the  weapons. 

As  they  proceeded,  the  jungle  appeared  to  become 
more  dense,  until  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  make 
any  progress.  Yet  they  felt  that  each  step  was 
bringing  them  closer  to  the  open  plain  and  to  a 
point  where  few  natives  were  likely  to  be  congre- 
gated. "If  we  once  get  down  to  the  bottom,  we'll 
be  all  right,"  said  Boxer. 

But  the  scout  had  not  reckoned  on  the  fact  that 
there  was  a  hollow  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and 
that  the  heavy  rains  had  filled  this  full  to  overflow- 
ing. It  was  Larry  who  first  called  attention  to  the 
fact  that  the  ground  was  growing  damp.  Then  of 
a  sudden  the  whole  party  stepped  into  the  water  up 
to  their  ankles. 

Here  was  a  new  dilemma  to  face,  and  each  looked 


256  THE  CAMPAIGN"  OF   THE  JUNGLE 

at  the  others  in  anything  but  a  happy  mood. 
"  Beats  everything  what  luck  we're  having  !  "  cried 
Leroy,  in  deep  disgust.  "  I'd  give  a  year's  pay  to 
be  safe  on  board  the  Yorktown  agin,  keelhaul  me  if 
I  wouldn't  !  " 

"  I  suppose  the  best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  march 
around  the  swamp-hole,"  replied  Larry.  "  What  do 
you  say,  Boxer  ?  " 

"  Let  us  try  it  a  bit  further,"  replied  the  scout, 
and  they  moved  forward  with  care.  At  first  the 
ground  appeared  to  grow  better,  but  then  they  went 
down  again  halfway  to  their  knees  and  in  a  muck 
that  stuck  to  them  like  glue. 

"  It's  no  use,  we'll  have  to  go  back,"  groaned 
Leroy,  and  turned  about.  Silently  the  others  fol- 
lowed him,  wondering  where  the  adventure  would 
end. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  DEPARTURE  OF  THE  OLTMPIA 

The  advances  of  both  General  MacArthur  and 
General  Lawton  had  been  so  far  nothing  but  a  series 
of  successes,  and  so  hard  were  the  insurgents  pressed, 
that  they  scarcely  knew  what  to  do  next.  Again 
they  sued  for  peace,  but  as  the  Americans  weie  not 
inclined  to  grant  them  anything  until  they  had  sur- 
rendered unconditionally,  the  war  went  on,  but  in 
more  of  a  guerilla-fight  fashion  than  ever. 

Near  San  Fernando  the  rebels  continued  to  tear 
up  tne  railroad  tracks,  and  likewise  attacked  a  train 
of  supplies,  killing  and  wounding  several  who  were 
on  board.  They  also  attacked  several  gunboats 
coming  up  the  San  Fernando  River,  keeping  them- 
selves safely  hidden,  in  the  meantime,  behind  high 
embankments  thrown  up  along  the  stream.  While 
this  was  going  on  General  Aguinaldo  called  a  council 
of  war,  at  San  Isidro,  at  which  fifty-six  of  his  main 
followers  were  present.  By  a  vote  it  was  found 
S  257 


258      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

that  twenty  were  for  peace,  twenty  for  war,  and 
sixteen  wished  to  negotiate  with  the  United  States 
for  better  terms.  This  gathering  gave  rise  to  a 
rumor  that  the  war  would  terminate  inside  of  forty- 
eight  hours.  Alas  !  it  was  still  to  drag  on  for  many 
months  to  come. 

The  day  after  the  tornado  found  Ben  safe  in  camp 
again,  with  Gilbert  in  the  hospital  receiving  every 
attention.  It  was  Sunday,  and  a  day  of  rest  for  the 
majority  of  the  troops.  At  a  small  tent  a  short 
service  was  held,  and  Ben  walked  over,  to  hear  a 
very  good  sermon  on  man's  duty  toward  God  under 
any  and  all  circumstances.  The  sermon  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  singing  of  several  hymns,  and  the 
soldiers  remained  at  the  spot  for  an  hour  or  more 
afterward,  talking  over  the  general  situation. 

"It  always  takes  me  back  home  to  hear  the 
preachin',"  remarked  Ralph  Sorrel.  "  I'm  mighty 
glad  we  have  it.  It  shows  we  ain't  no  heathens, 
even  though  we  air  livin'  a  kind  o'  hit-an'-miss  life 
a-followin'  up  these  yere  rebs." 

On  Monday  the  scouts  went  out  to  the  front,  and 
a  small  brush  was  had  with  a  number  of  the  insur 
gents   in  the  vicinity  of   San  Miguel  de  Mayumo. 
They  reported  that  the  Filipinos  had  a  number  of 


THE   DEPARTURE   OF   THE    OLYMPIA  259 

intrenchments  placed  across  the  roads,  but  seemed  to 
be  retreating  toward  San  Isidro. 

"  If  Aguinaldo  makes  a  stand  anywhere,  it  will  be 
at  San  Isidro,"  said  Ben  to  Major  Morris,  as  the  two 
discussed  the  situation.  "  Oh,  but  I  do  wish  we 
could  have  one  big  battle  and  finish  this  campaign!  " 

"  How  about  the  big  battle  going  against  us  ?  " 
demanded  the  major,  but  with  a  twinkle  in  his 
eye. 

"  It  would  never  go  against  us,"  answered  the 
young  captain,  promptly,  "  and  the  insurgents 
know  it.     That  is  why  they  keep  their  distance." 

The  scouts  had  brought  in  a  dozen  or  more  pris- 
oners, and  among  them  were  a  Filipino  and  a 
Spaniard,  both  of  whom  could  speak  English  quite 
fluently.  As  soon  as  he  could  obtain  permission, 
Ben  hurried  over  to  have  a  talk  with  the  prisoners. 

He  found  that  the  Filipino  had  belonged  to  those 
having  some  of  the  American  prisoners  in  charge. 

"  And  do  you  know  anything  of  my  brother  ?  " 
he  asked  eagerly.  "  He  is  a  young  sailor  from  the 
Olympia,  and  his  name  is  Larry  Russell." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  him,"  answered  the  Filipino, 
nodding  his  head.  "  He  was  at  the  cave  where  they 
have  kept  some  of  the  prisoners  for  a  long  time." 


260  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

And  he  described  Larry  so  minutely  that  Ben  felt 
there  could  be  no  mistake  about  the  matter. 

"  Is  my  brother  well  ?  How  do  they  treat  him  ? 
Please  tell  me  the  truth." 

"  You  may  not  believe  it,  but  we  treat  our  pris- 
oners good,"  said  the  Filipino.  "  And  when  I  saw 
your  brother  last  he  was  very  well." 

"And  where  is  this  prison  cave  ?" 

At  this  the  insurgent  shrugged  his  shoulder. 
"  Now,  capitan,  you  are  asking  me  too  much.  I  am 
pleased  to  tell  you  that  your  brother  is  safe.  More 
than  that  I  cannot  tell,  for  it  would  not  be  right." 

This  was  not  encouraging,  yet  Ben  could  not  help 
but  admire  the  prisoner's  loyalty  to  his  cause. 
"Very  well,"  he  said.  "I  am  thankful  to  know 
that  my  brother  is  well.  I  was  afraid  that  prison 
life  might  make  him  sick." 

A  little  later  the  young  captain  got  the  chance 
to  talk  to  the  Spanish  prisoner,  who  was  making 
an  application  for  his  release,  claiming  that  he  was 
friendly  to  the  United  States  and  had  never  encour- 
aged the  rebels.  Seldom  had  the  young  captain  met 
more  of  a  gentleman  than  Senor  Romano  proved 
to  be. 

"  Ah,   the   war  is  terrible  !    terrible  ! "   said  the 


THE  DEPARTURE  OP  THE   OLYMPIA  261 

senor,  after  Ben  had  introduced  himself.  "It  is 
bloodshed,  bloodshed,  all  the  time.  Where  it  will 
end,  Heaven  alone  knows  —  but  I  am  afraid  the 
Filipinos  will  be  beaten  far  worse  than  was  my  own 
country." 

"  I  think  you  are  right  there,"  replied  Ben.  "  But 
we  can't  do  anything  for  them  now  until  they  lay 
down  their  arms." 

"The  war  has  ruined  hundreds  of  planters  and 
merchants,  —  whole  fortunes  have  been  swept  away, 
—  and  the  insurgents  have  levied  taxes  which  are 
beyond  endurance.  To  some,  Aguinaldo  is  their 
idol,  but  to  me  he  is  a  base  schemer  who  wants 
everything,  and  only  for  his  own  glory.  But  he 
cannot  hold  out  much  longer,  —  you  are  pressing  him 
into  the  very  mountains,  —  and  once  away  from  the 
civilization  of  the  towns,  his  followers  will  become 
nothing  but  banditti  —  mark  me  if  it  is  not  so." 

"  You  are  a  resident  of  Luzon  ?  "  went  on  Ben. 

"  Hardly.  I  belong  in  Spain  —  but  I  have  lived 
here  for  several  years." 

"  Do  you  know  one  Benedicto  Lupez,  or  his 
brother  Jose." 

At  this  question  the  brow  of  Senor  Romano 
darkened. 


262  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

"  Do  I  know  them  ?  Ah,  yes,  I  know  them  only 
too  well.  They  are  -rascals,  villains,  cheats  of  the 
worst  order.     I  trust  they  are  not  your  friends." 

"Hardly,  although  I  should  like  first-rate  to 
meet  them,  and  especially  to  meet  Benedicto." 

"  And  for  what  ?  Excuse  my  curiosity,  but  what 
can  an  American  captain  and  gentleman  like  you 
have  in  common  with  Benedicto  Lupez?" 

"I  want  to  get  hold  of  some  bank  money  that 
he  carried  off,"  answered  the  young  captain,  and 
told  the  story  of  the  missing  funds  and  the  part 
the  Spaniard  was  supposed  to  have  played  in  their 
disappearance. 

"It  is  like  Lupez,"  answered  Sefior  Romano,, 
"He  is  wanted  in  Cuba  for  having  swindled  a 
rich  aunt  out  of  a  small  fortune ;  and  in  Manila 
you  will  find  a  hundred  people  who  will  tell  you 
that  both  brothers  are  rascals  to  the  last  degree, 
although,  so  far,  they  have  kept  out  of  the  clutches 
of  the  law  —  through  bribery-  I  think." 

"Not  during  General  Otis's  term  of  office?" 

"  No ;  before  the  city  fell  into  your  hands.  The 
government  was  very  corrupt  and  winked  at  Lu- 
pez's  doings  so  long  as  he  divided  with  certain 
officials." 


THE   DEPARTURE   OF   THE   OLTMPIA  263 

"  And  what  did  he  work  at  ?  " 

"Land  schemes  and  loan  companies.  He  once 
got  me  interested  in  a  land  scheme,  and  his  ras- 
cality cost  me  many  dollars,  and  I  came  pretty 
near  to  going  to  prison  in  the  bargain."  Senor 
Romano  paused  a  moment.  "  If  your  troops  take 
San  Isidro,  you  will  have  a  good  chance  to  catch 
both  of  the  brothers." 

"  What !  do  you  mean  to  say  they  are  at  San 
Isidro?"  exclaimed  the  young  captain. 

"They  are,  or,  at  least,  they  were  two  or  three 
days  ago.  How  long  they  will  stay  there,  I  can- 
not say.  They  were  at  the  council  of  war  held 
by  Aguinaldo's  followers." 

"I  see."  Ben  mused  for  a  moment.  "Of 
course  you  do  not  know  if  they  had  the  stolen 
money  with  them  ?  " 

"  They  appeared  to  have  some  money,  for  both 
were  offered  positions  in  the  army,  and  that  would 
not  have  happened  had  not  they  had  funds  to 
buy  the  offices  with.  They  appeared  to  be  very 
thick  with  a  general  named  Porlar,  —  a  tricky 
fellow  of  French-Malay  blood.  I  believe  the  three 
had  some  scheme  they  wished  to  put  through." 

"Well,   I'd    like   to   catch  the  pair.     I   wonder 


264  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

if  Aguinaldo  would  keep  them  around  him,  if  he 
knew  their  real  characters  ?  " 

At  this  Senor  Romano  laughed  outright.  "You 
do  not  know  how  bad  are  some  of  the  men  around 
the  arch  rebel,  capitan.  He  has  some  bad  ad- 
visers, I  can  tell  you  that.  To  some  of  the  worst 
of  the  crowd,  Aguinaldo  is  but  a  figurehead." 

The  pair  discussed  the  matter  for  half  an  hour ; 
and  during  that  time  Ben  became  convinced  that 
Senor  Romano  had  small  sympathy  for  the  insur- 
gents, and  was  certainly  not  of  their  number. 

"I  will  do  what  I  can  for  you,  senor,"  he  said, 
on  parting.  "I  do  not  believe  you  will  be  kept 
a  prisoner  long."  And  the  young  captain  was 
right  on  this  score ;  the  Spanish  gentleman  was 
released  inside  of  forty-eight  hours,  and  journeyed 
to  Manila  in  company  with  a  detachment  bound 
for  the  capital  of  Luzon. 

The  two  talks  made  Ben  do  a  good  deal  of 
sober  thinking.  He  now  knew  to  a  certainty  that 
Larry  was  alive  and  well,  and  he  knew  also  that 
Benedicto  Lupez  was  at  or  near  San  Isidro,  and 
more  than  likely  had  the  stolen  money  on  his 
person.  "  I  wish  we  could  push  ahead  without 
delay,"  he   muttered.     "I   might   make  a  splendid 


THE   DEPARTURE   OF   THE   OLTMPIA  265 

strike  all  around.  I  know  Larry  is  just  aching 
to  be  at  liberty  once  more." 

But  supplies  were  again  slow  in  coming  to  the 
front,  and  General  Lawton  did  not  feel  like  risk- 
ing his  men  when  the  Filipinos  might  surrender  at 
any  moment.  So  a  delay  of  several  days  occurred, 
with  only  a  little  skirmish  here  and  there  to 
break  the  monotony. 

"  Hullo,  here's  news !  "  cried  Major  Morris,  as 
he  rushed  up  to  Ben's  quarters  one  morning. 
"Dewey  is  going  to  sail  for  the  United  States." 

"With  the  Olympiad ' "  queried  the  young  cap- 
tain. 

"Yes.  The  warship  leaves  next  Saturday,  with 
all  on  board.  "Won't  he  get  a  rousing  reception 
when  he  arrives  home  ?  " 

"Larry  won't  be  with  him,"  said  Ben. 

"By  Jove,  captain,  that's  so.  It's  too  bad,  isn't 
it?     I  suppose  he  would  like  to  go,  too." 

"  I  can't  say  as  to  that.  Perhaps  he  would  just 
as  lief  stay  here  and  join  some  command  on  land, 
or  some  other  ship,  especially  if  he  knew  that  my 
brother  Walter  was  coming  on.  But  I  am  sure 
he  would  like  to  see  his  old  messmates  off,"  con- 
cluded Ben. 


266  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

Admiral  Dewey  started  for  the  United  States 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  May 
20.  The  departure  proved  a  gala  time,  the  harbor 
and  shipping  being  decorated,  and  the  other  war- 
ships firing  a  salute.  The  bands  played  "  Auld 
Lang  Syne,"  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  "Amer- 
ica," and  the  jaekies  crowded  the  tops  to  get  a 
last  look  at  the  noble  flagship  as  she  slipped  down 
the  bay  toward  the  China  Sea,  with  the  admiral 
standing  on  the  bridge,  hat  in  hand,  and  wav- 
ing them  a  final  adieu.  In  all  the  time  he  had 
been  at  Manila,  Admiral  Dewey  had  served  his 
country  well,  and  his  home-coming  was  indeed  to 
be  one  of  grand  triumph. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  ADVANCE  UPON  SAN  ISIDKO 

"  Why,  Luke  Striker,  is  it  possible !  I  thought 
you  had  sailed  for  the  United  States  on  the 
Olympia. " 

"  Well,  ye  hadn't  no  right  to  think  that,  cap- 
tain," responded  the  old  gunner,  as  he  shook 
hands  warmly.  "  It  might  be  that  the  others 
could  go  away  and  leave  Larry  behind,  but  he's 
too  much  my  boy  for  me  to  do  that  —  yes,  sirree. 
When  I  hears  as  we  were  to  set  sail  for  the  States, 
I  goes  up  to  the  admiral  himself,  an'  says  I : 
*  Admiral,'  says  I,  '  do  you  remember  how  Larry 
Russell  an'  yer  humble  servant  comes  on  board  of 
the  Olympia  ? '  says  I.  '  Yes,'  says  he.  *  I  remem- 
ber it  well,'  says  he.  'Well,'  says  I,  'Larry  is 
ashore,  a  prisoner  of  the  enemy,'  says  I.  'I  don't 
want  to  go  for  to  leave  him,  nohow.  Can't  you 
leave  me  behind,'  says  I.  And  he  laughs  and 
asks  me   all  about   Larry,    and  finally  says   I  can 

267 


268      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

go  ashore  and  report  to  Rear  Admiral  Watson — ■ 
who  is  comin'  on  —  sometime  later.  And  here  I 
am,  come  to  the  front,  to  find  Larry,  ef  sech  a 
thing  is  possible." 

The  old  sailor's  honest  speech  went  straight  to 
Ben's  heart,  and  he  saw  very  plainly  how  deep 
was  Luke's  affection  for  his  younger  brother. 
"  You're  a  messmate  worth  having,  Luke  ! "  he 
exclaimed.  "I  don't  wonder  Larry  thought  so 
much  of  you." 

"  Avast,  I'm  only  a  common  sea-dog  at  the  best, 
captain,  —  an  ef  I  remained  behind  to  cast  around 
fer  the  lad,  ye  mustn't  think  thet  Jack  Biddle  an' 
the  others  have  forgotten  Larry,  fer  they  ain't,  not 
by  a  jugful.  Every  man  jack  o'  them  is  his  friend, 
an'  was,  almost  from  the  start." 

Luke  had  come  up  to  the  camp  by  way  of 
Malolos,  accompanying  a  pack-train  of  caribao 
carts  carrying  rations  and  army  equipments.  He 
had  left  the  Olympia  several  days  before,  and  had 
not  waited  to  witness  the  departure  of  the  flagship. 

As  Luke  wished  to  remain  with  Ben,  the  latter 
lost  no  time  in  presenting  the  matter  to  Colonel 
Darcy  and  to  Major  Morris,  and  Luke  was  taken 
into  the  regiment  camp  as  a  cook,  for  he  had  once 


THE  ADVANCE   UPON  SAN  ISIDRO  269 

been  a  cook  on  a  merchantman,  years  before.  The 
position  was  largely  an  honorary  one,  and  the 
sailor  was  permitted  to  leave  his  pots  and  kettles 
whenever  he  pleased. 

"  It's  good  news,"  he  said,  when  the  young  cap- 
tain had  told  him  what  the  prisoners  had  said 
about  Larry  and  Benedicto  Lupez.  "I've  an  idee 
we'll  get  to  Larry  soon,  an'  down  thet  tarnal  Span- 
iard in  the  bargain." 

The  conversation  took  place  on  Tuesday.  On 
Wednesday  orders  came  to  strike  camp,  and  the 
march  of  the  regiment  was  taken  toward  San 
Isidro  by  way  of  Baluarte,  a  small  village  seven 
miles  to  the  southeast  of  the  new  rebel  capital. 
In  the  meantime,  although  the  Americans  were 
not  aware  of  it,  Aguinaldo  was  preparing  to  de- 
camp, with  his  so-called  congress,  into  the  mountain 
fastnesses,  still  further  northward. 

"  We  are  in  for  another  fight,"  said  Major 
Morris,  as  he  came  to  Ben  that  afternoon.  "  And 
I've  an  idea  it  is  going  to  be  something  to  the 
finish." 

"  That  means,  then,  that  we  '  re  bound  for  San 
Isidro  !  "  cried  the  young  captain.  "  Hurrah  ! 
that's  the  best  news  I've  heard  in  a  week." 


270  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF   THE  JUNGLE 

The  regiment  was  soon  on  the  road,  spread  out 
in  proper  battalion  form.  The  day  was  close,  and 
it  looked  as  if  a  thunderstorm  was  at  hand.  The 
growth  along  the  road  was  thick,  and  at  certain 
points  the  overhanging  branches  had  to  be  cut  off 
that  the  troops  might  pass.  The  trail  was  bad, 
and  often  a  gun,  or  wagon,  had  to  stop  so  that  a 
hole  might  be  bridged  over  with  bamboo  poles. 
Here  and  there  they  passed  a  nipa  hut,  but  these 
places  were  deserted,  excepting  in  rare  instances, 
where  an  aged  native  would  stand  at  the  door, 
holding  up  a  white  rag  as  a  signal  of  surrender, 
or  to  show  that  he  was  an  amigo,  or  friend. 

"It's  pitiable,"  said  Ben  to  Major  Morris,  as 
they  trudged  along  side  by  side.  "I  reckon  some 
of  these  ignorant  creatures  have  an  idea  that  we 
have  come  to  annihilate  them." 

"You  can  be  sure  that  Aguinaldo  and  his  fol- 
lowers have  taught  them  something  like  that," 
replied  the  major.  "  Otherwise,  they  wouldn't  look 
so  terrified." 

At  one  point  in  the  road,  they  came  to  a  tumble- 
down hut,  at  the  doorway  of  which  rested  a  woman 
and  her  three  small  children,  all  watching  the  sol- 
diers with  eyes  full  of  terror.     Going  up  to  the 


THE   ADVANCE  UPON   SAN  ISIDRO  271 

woman,  Ben  spoke  kindly  to  her,  but  she  immedi- 
ately fled  into  the  dilapidated  structure,  dragging 
her  trio  of  offspring  after  her. 

"  You  can't  make  friends  that  "way,"  cried  Major 
Morris.  "  They  won't  trust  you.  I've  tried  it  more 
than  once." 

There  was  now  a  hill  to  climb,  thick  with  trop- 
ical trees  and  brush.  The  regiment  had  scarcely 
covered  a  hundred  feet  of  the  ascent,  when  there 
came  a  volley  of  shots  from  a  ridge  beyond,  which 
wounded  two  soldiers  in  the  front  rank. 

"  The  rebels  are  in  sight !  "  was  the  cry.  "  Come 
on,  boys,  let  us  drive  'em  back  !  On  to  San  Isi- 
dro  !  "  And  away  went  one  battalion  after  another, 
fatigued  by  a  two  miles'  tramp,  but  eager  to  engage 
once  more  in  the  fray.  It  was  found  that  the  in- 
surgents had  the  ridge  well  fortified,  and  General 
Lawton  at  once  spread  out  his  troops  in  a  semi- 
circle, in  the  hope  of  surrounding  the  ridge  and 
cutting  off  the  defenders  from  the  main  body  of 
Aguinaldo's  army. 

Ben's  regiment  was  coming,  "head  on,"  for  the 
top  of  the  ridge.  The  way  was  over  ground  much 
broken  by  tree-stumps,  rocks,  and  entangling  vines, 
that  brought  many  a  soldier  flat. 


272      THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

"  Sure,  an'  it's  a  rigular  fish-net !  "  spluttered 
Dan  Casey,  as  he  tried  in  vain  to  rise,  with  vines 
ensnaring  both  arms  and  legs.  "  I  don't  know  but 
phwat  a  fellow  wants  a  wire-cutter  here,  just  as  they 
had  'em  in  Cuby  to  cut  the  wire  finces  wid." 

"Nefer  mind,  so  long  as  we  got  by  der  dop  of 
dot  hill,"  answered  Carl  Stummer,  as  he  hauled  his 
mate  out  of  the  entanglement.  "Be  dankful  dot 
you  ain't  parefooted  by  dem  dorns."  And  on  went 
both  once  more.  There  was  many  a  slip  and  a 
tumble,  but  very  little  grumbling. 

"  Down ! "  The  cry  came  from  the  front,  and 
down  went  Ben's  company  into  a  little  hollow, 
for  the  rebels  had  them  in  plain  view  now,  and 
the  two  lines  were  less  than  three  hundred  yards 
apart.  A  volley  from  the  insurgents  followed, 
but  nobody  was  struck. 

"  Forward  twenty-five  yards !  "  cried  Ben,  and 
up  went  the  company  for  another  dash.  It  was 
a  soul-trying  moment,  and  none  felt  it  more  than 
the  young  commander,  who  ran  on  ahead  to  in- 
spire his  men.  He  knew  that  at  any  instant  a 
bullet  might  hit  him  to  lay  him  low  forever.  But 
his  "baptism  of  fire"  had  been  complete,  and  he 
did  not  flinch. 


THE  ADVANCE  UPON  SAN   ISIDEO  273 

"  Hot  work,  this  !  "  The  words  came  from  Gil- 
more  as  he  came  up  the  hill  close  to  Ben.  "  It's 
going  to  be  no  picnic  taking  that  ridge." 

"  True,  Gilmore ;  but  it's  got  to  be  done," 
answered  the  young  commander.  "  Down ! "  he 
shouted,  and  again  the  company  fell  flat.  Then 
began  a  firing  at  will,  which  lasted  the  best  part 
of  ten  minutes.  The  insurgents,  likewise,  fired, 
and  a  corporal  and  a  private  were  wounded  and 
had  to  be  carried  to  the  rear. 

Looking  around,  Ben  espied  Luke  Striker  in  the 
ranks  of  Company  D.  The  old  sailor  had  pro- 
vided himself  with  a  rifle  and  an  ammunition  belt, 
and  was  popping  away  at  a  lively  rate. 

"  I  couldn't  help  it,"  said  Luke,  when  the  young 
captain  came  up  to  him.  "  It's  the  best  fun  I've 
had  sence  thet  air  muss  in  Manila  Bay,  when  we 
blowed  old  Montojo  out  o'  the  water,  off  Cavite. 
Say,  but  we'll  git  to  the  top  o'  the  hill  afore 
long,  jes'  see  ef  we  don't ! "  And  Luke  blazed 
away  again,  and  so  Ben  left  him. 

The  rest  of  the  battalion  was  now  closing  in, 
and  soon  another  advance  was  made,  until  the 
first  line  of  the  American  troops  was  less  than 
a   hundred   and  fifty  yards   away  from   the   insur- 

T 


274      THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

gents'  outer  intrenchments.  Then  a  yell  came 
from  a  jungle  on  the  left. 

"What's  that?  more  rebels?"  cried  Ben,  and 
listened. 

"  No,  no,  the  Filipinos  are  retreating ! "  came 
from  a  score  of  throats.  "  See,  they  are  scatter- 
ing like  sheep  !  Up  the  hill,  fellows ;  the  fight 
is  ours !  "  And  a  regular  stampede  occurred,  each 
command  trying  to  get  to  the  top  of  the  ridge 
first.  The  rebels  were  indeed  retreating  into  a 
thicket  behind  the  ridge.  They  went  less  than 
half  a  mile,  however,  and  then  made  another 
stand,  this  time  on  the  upper  side  of  a  mountain 
stream, — the  very  stream  at  which  Larry  and  his 
companions  had  stopped  after  the  escape  from  the 
caves  under  the  mountain. 

To  ford  the  stream  would  have  been  an  easy 
matter  under  ordinary  circumstances,  but  with  the 
rebels  guarding  the  upper  bank,  it  was  extremely 
hazardous,  and  the  regiment  came  to  a  halt  on 
the  edge  of  the  brush  overhanging  the  water. 

"They  are  straight  ahead,  boys,"  said  Major 
Morris,  after  his  scouts  had  reported  to  him. 
"We  will  make  a  detour  to  the  right.  Forward, 
and  on  the  double-quick  I  " 


THE  ADVANCE   UPON   SAN   ISIDBO  275 

Every  soldier  felt  that  delay  would  mean  a 
serious  loss,  and  a  rapid  rush  was  made  through 
the  jungle  to  a  point  where  the  stream  became 
rocky  and  winding.  Here  an  excellent  ford  was 
found,  and  they  went  over  in  column  of  fours. 
They  could  now  enfilade  the  rebels'  position,  and 
this  they  did  so  disastrously  that  the  Filipinos 
speedily  threw  down  a  large  part  of  their  arms 
and  fled  helter-skelter  into  the  mountain  fast- 
nesses still  further  to  the  northward. 

The  battle  over,  the  battalion  came  to  rest 
under  the  shade  of  the  trees  lining  the  stream, 
many  of  the  soldiers  throwing  themselves  down 
in  a  state  bordering  upon  exhaustion,  for  the 
humidity  in  the  air  told  upon  them  greatly. 
There  was  not  a  breath  of  a  breeze,  and  the 
water  hardly  quenched  the  thirst  that  raged 
within  them.  As  Major  Morris  declared,  'It. 
was  the  primest  place  to  catch  a  fever  in*  he 
had  ever  seen. 

Ben  was  sitting  at  the  foot  of  a  tall  tree  talking 
to  Gilmore,  when  he  saw  the  advance  guards 
bringing  in  two  Americans,  one  evidently  a  sailor. 
At  once  he  sprang  to  meet  the  sailor,  thinking 
the  man  might  know  something  about  Larry. 


276  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

The  two  men  proved  to  be  Dan  Leroy  and 
Boxer,  the  scout,  and  when  he  mentioned  his 
brother's  name  to  them,  both  were  of  course 
astonished. 

"  Do  we  know  him  !  "  cried  Leroy.  "  Sure  and 
didn't  he  and  I  run  away  together  from  the 
rebels,  and  Boxer,  here,  helping  us  to  get  out  of 
the  prison  caves.  Yes,  yes,  I  know  Larry  well." 
And  then  Leroy  told  of  the  escape  from  the  caves, 
and  of  how  all  three  of  the  party  had  become 
lost  in  the  swamp  lands. 

"  We  were  in  the  swamps  two  days,  and  thought 
we  would  never  get  out,"  he  continued.  "Luck- 
ily, we  had  some  caribao  meat  with  us ;  otherwise 
we  should  have  starved  to  death.  The  swamps 
were  full  of  mosquitoes  and  lizards  and  lots  of 
other  things,  and  we  were  almost  eaten  up  alive, 
eh,  Boxer?" 

"So  we  were,"  replied  the  scout. 

"  But  what  of  my  brother  ? "  asked  Ben,  im- 
patiently. 

At  this  the  faces  of  both  of  the  men  fell. 

"We  can't  say  what  became  o'  him,"  said  the 
sailor  from  the  Yorktown.  "You  see,  after  we 
got  out  of  the  swamp,  we  determined  to  stick  to 


THE  ADVANCE  UPON   SAN  ISIDRO  277 

the  high  ground  until  we  found  a  regular  trail 
leading  to  the  south.  Well,  our  walk  took  us 
up  to  a  high  cliff  overlooking  a  gorge  filled  with 
trees  and  bushes.  We  were  walking  ahead,  with 
Larry  at  our  heels,  as  we  thought,  when  Boxer 
chanced  to  look  around,  and  the  boy  was  gone." 

"  Gone !  "  gasped  Ben,  in  horror. 

"  Yes,  gone !  We  couldn't  understand  it,  and 
called  to  him,  but  he  didn't  answer.  Then  we 
went  back  about  quarter  of  a  mile,  past  the  spot 
where  we  had  seen  him  last,  and  fired  the  pistol 
as  a  signal.  But  he  had  disappeared  totally,  and 
we  couldn't  find  hide  nor  hair  o'  him,  try  our 
level  best." 

The  confession  was  a  sickening  one,  and  for 
several  minutes  Ben  could  not  trust  himself  to 
speak. 

"  And  —  and  what  do  you  think  became  of 
my  brother  ?  "  he  asked,  at  length. 

Both  men  shrugged  their  shoulders.  "  I'm  afraid 
he  fell  over  the  cliff,"  said  Boxer.  "  You  see,  the 
footpath  was  narrow  and  mighty  slippery  in  spots." 

At  once  Ben's  mind  went  back  to  that  scene  in 
far-away  Cuba,  when  Gerald  Holgait  had  fallen 
over  a  cliff.      Had    a  similar    fate   overtaken   his 


278  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

brother?  and  if  so,  was  he  still  alive  or  had  he 
been  dashed  to  his  death? 

"  How  far  is  that  spot  from  here  ?  "  he  demanded 
abruptly. 

"Not  over  a  mile,  cap'n,"  answered  Boxer. 

"I  see  you  are  a  scout.  Can  you  take  me  to 
the  place?" 

"  Certainly  —  but  —  but  —  it's  mighty  risky,  cap'n 
—  so  many  rebs  lurking  about." 

"  Never  mind  —  I  must  find  Larry,  alive  or  dead. 
Take  me  to  him,  and  I'll  pay  you  well  for  your 
services." 

"I  ain't  asking  a  cent,  cap'n  —  that  ain't  my 
style." 

"Then  you  will  take  me?" 

"  I  will,"  said  Boxer,  promptly.  "  Only  I'll 
have  to  report  first  and  get  official  permission." 

"  Major  Morris  will  arrange  that  for  you,  I  feel 
certain,"  answered  Ben,  turning  to  the  major,  who 
sat  near,  drinking  in  the  conversation. 

"  Yes,  I'll  arrange  that,"  said  the  major.  "  But 
I  don't  see  how  I  am  going  to  do  without  you, 
captain." 

"  Would  you  keep  me  from  looking  for  my 
brother?" 


THE  ADVANCE   UPON   SAN  ISIDKO  279 

"No,  no,  go  ahead,  and  Gilmore  can  take  the 
company." 

So  it  was  arranged ;  and  inside  of  quarter  of  an 
hour  Ben  and  Boxer  were  ready  to  depart. 

"  Captain,  can't  I  go  with  ye  ? "  It  was  Luke 
Striker  who  asked  the  question.  The  anxious  look 
on  his  face  spoke  more  eloquently  than  words,  and 
Ben  consented  without  argument. 

And  so  the  three  set  off  on  the  search  for  Larry, 
little  dreaming  of  the  strange  happenings  in  store 
for  them. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

LABBY  IS   SENTENCED   TO  BE  SHOT 

To  go  back  to  Larry,  at  the  time  mentioned  by 
Dan  Leroy,  when  the  boy  had  been  following  the 
old  sailor  and  the  scout  along  the  cliff  overlooking 
the  valley  in  which  both  the  Filipino  and  the 
American  troops  were  encamped. 

The  adventures  in  the  swamp  had  been  exceed- 
ingly tiring,  and  the  youth  could  scarcely  drag 
one  foot  after  the  other,  as  the  party  of  three 
hurried  along  over  rocks  and  through  thickets 
which  at  certain  points  seemed  almost  impassible. 

"  O  dear !  I'll  be  glad  when  this  day's  tramp 
comes  to  an  end,"  he  thought.  "I  wonder  how  far 
the  American  camp  is  from  here?" 

He  tried  to  look  across  the  valley,  but  there  was 
a  bluish  vapor  hanging  over  trees  and  brush  which 
shut  off  a  larger  portion  of  the  view.  The  party 
had  been  walking  over  a  trail  which  now  brought 
them  directly  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff.     Here  the 

280 


Down  went  the  sapling-  over  the  edge  of  the  cliff.  — Page  281. 


LARRY  IS   SENTENCED   TO   BE  SHOT  281 

footpath  was  scarcely  two  feet  wide,  and  was  backed 
up  by  high  rocks  and  thorn  bushes,  around  which 
it  was  difficult  to  climb  without  injury. 

The  men  were  as  tired  as  the  boy,  and  it  must 
be  confessed  that  for  a  half  hour  or  more  they 
paid  little  attention  to  Larry.  Gradually  the 
youth  lagged  behind,  until  those  ahead  were  lost 
to  view  around  a  sharp  turn  of  the  cliff. 

And  it  was  then  that  an  accident  happened 
which  put  Larry  in  great  peril  all  in  an  instant. 
In  trying  to  make  the  turn,  the  boy  got  hold  of  a 
slender  tree  by  which  to  support  himself.  Leroy 
and  Boxer  had  grasped  the  same  tree,  and  their 
swinging  around  had  loosened  its  frail  hold  on 
the  rocks,  and  as  Larry  grasped  it,  down  went 
the  sapling  over  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  carrying  the 
youth  with  it. 

The  boy  had  no  time  to  cry  out,  and  he  clung 
fast,  not  knowing  what  else  to  do,  until  the  tree 
landed  with  a  mighty  crash  on  the  top  of  another 
tree  at  the  foot  of  the  cliff.  The  sudden  stoppage 
caused  Larry  to  loose  his  hold,  and  he  bumped 
from  limb  to  limb  in  the  tree  below  until  he  struck 
the  ground  with  a  dull  thud ;  and  then  for  the  time 
being  he  knew  no,  more. 


282      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

When  the  boy  came  to  his  senses,  he  found  it 
was  night  and  pitch  dark  under  the  thick  tree, 
through  the  branches  of  which  he  had  fallen.  He 
rested  on  a  bed  of  soft  moss,  and  this  cushionlike 
substance  had  most  likely  saved  him  from  fatal 
injury. 

His  first  feeling  was  one  of  bewilderment,  his 
next  that  his  left  foot  felt  as  if  it  was  on  fire, 
with  a  shooting  pain  that  ran  well  up  to  his  knee. 
Catching  hold  of  the  foot,  he  felt  that  the  ankle 
was  much  swollen,  and  that  his  shoe-top  was  ready 
to  burst  with  the  pressure.  Scarcely  realizing  what 
he  was  doing,  he  loosened  the  shoe,  at  which  part 
of  the  pain  left  him. 

"  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  thankful  that  I  wasn't 
killed,"  he  thought,  rather  dismally.  "I  wonder 
where  Leroy  and  that  scout  are?  I  don't  suppose 
it  will  do  any  good  to  call  for  them.  The  top  of 
that  cliff  must  be  a  hundred  feet  from  here." 

The  fall  had  almost  finished  what  was  left  of 
Larry's  already  ragged  suit,  and  he  found  himself 
scratched  in  a  dozen  places,  with  a  bad  cut  over 
one  eye  and  several  splinters  in  his  left  hand. 
Feeling  in  his  pocket,  he  found  several  matches  which 
Leroy  had  given  him  on  leaving  the  prison   cave, 


LARRY  IS   SENTENCED   TO  BE  SHOT  283 

and  he  lit  one  of  these  and  set  fire  to  a  few  dried 
leaves  which  happened  to  be  ready  to  hand. 

The  light  afforded  a  little  consolation,  and  by  its 
rays  the  boy  made  out  a  pool  of  water  not  far  off, 
and  to  this  he  dragged  himself,  to  get  a  drink  and 
then  bathe  the  ankle.  This  member  of  his  body  had 
been  so  badly  wrenched  that  standing  upon  it  was 
out  of  the  question,  as  he  speedily  discovered  by  a 
trial  which  made  him  scream  with  pain. 

"  I'm  in  for  it  now,"  he  thought.  "  With  such  an 
ankle  as  this,  I  can't  go  on,  and  what  am  I  to  do 
here,  alone  in  the  woods  and  with  absolutely  noth- 
ing to  eat?     I'd  be  better  off  in  a  Filipino  prison." 

Slowly  the  night  wore  along,  until  a  faint  light  in 
the  east  announced  the  coming  of  day.  During  the 
darkness  the  jungle  had  been  almost  silent,  but  now 
the  birds  began  to  tune  up,  and  here  and  there 
Larry  heard  the  movements  of  small  animals,  al- 
though none  of  the  latter  showed  themselves. 

It  was  more  pleasant  under  the  big  tree  than 
down  by  the  pool,  and  as  daylight  came  on,  Larry 
dragged  himself  back  to  his  first  resting-place.  As 
he  came  up  to  the  tree  he  saw  a  broken  branch  rest- 
ing there  and  on  it  a  bird's  nest  containing  half  a 
dozen  speckled  eggs. 


284      THE  CAMPAIGN  OP  THE  JUNGLE 

"  Here's  a  little  luck,  anyway,"  he  murmured,  and 
taking  some  of  the  tree  limbs,  he  made  a  fire  and 
cooked  the  eggs  in  the  hot  ashes.  When  they  were 
done,  he  broke  off  the  shells  and  ate  the  eggs,  and 
although  the  flavor  was  by  no  means  to  be  prized, 
yet  they  did  much  toward  relieving  the  hunger  he 
had  felt  before  taking  the  fall  over  the  cliff. 

The  day  that  followed  was  one  which  Larry  says 
he  will  never  forget,  and  for  good  reason.  Neither 
human  being  nor  beast  came  near  him,  and  even  the 
birds  flying  overhead  seemed  to  give  him  a  wide 
berth.  Time  and  again  he  cried  out,  but  the  only 
answer  that  came  back  was  the  echo  from  the  cliff, 
repeating  his  own  words  as  if  in  mockery.  Occa- 
sionally he  heard  firing  at  a  great  distance,  but 
toward  nightfall  even  this  died  out.  He  could 
scarcely  move  from  his  resting-place,  and  it  was  not 
until  darkness  came  on  that  the  pain  in  his  ankle 
subsided  sufficiently  to  allow  of  his  sleeping  in 
comfort. 

The  long  sleep  did  the  boy  a  world  of  good,  and 
when  he  awakened  he  found  the  swelling  in  his 
ankle  gone  down,  along  with  much  of  the  pain,  and 
on  getting  up  he  found  that  he  could  walk,  but  it 
must  be   slowly  and  with    care.      He    was    again 


LARRY  IS   SENTENCED   TO   BE  SHOT  285 

hungry,  and  his  first  effort  was  to  supply  himself 
with  something  to  eat. 

To  bring  down  even  a  small  animal  was  out  of  the 
question,  but  he  thought  he  might  possibly  knock 
over  a  bird  or  two,  and  with  this  in  view  cut  himself 
several  short,  heavy  sticks.  The  birds  were  coming 
down  to  the  pool  to  drink,  and  watching  his  chance 
he  let  fly  with  the  sticks  and  managed  to  bring 
down  two  of  the  creatures,  and  these  formed  the 
sum  total  of  his  breakfast,  although  he  could  have 
eaten  twice  as  many.  There  were  a  number  of  ber- 
ries to  hand,  but  these  he  refrained  from  touching, 
fearing  they  might  be  poisonous. 

Larry  felt  he  must  now  go  on.  To  gain  the  top 
of  the  cliff  was  out  of  the  question,  so  he  decided  to 
strike  out  directly  for  the  southwest,  feeling  that 
this  must  sooner  or  later  bring  him  into  the  Ameri- 
can lines.  To  be  sure,  he  had  first  to  pass  the  Fili- 
pinos, but  this  could  not  be  helped,  and  he  felt  that 
the  best  he  could  do  would  be  to  keep  his  eyes  and 
ears  open  and  walk  around  any  body  of  the  enemy 
that  he  might  discover,  instead  of  trying  to  steal  his 
way  straight  through.  This  would  require  many 
miles  of  walking,  and  on  the  sore  foot,  too,  but  this 
hardship  would  have  to  be  endured. 


286  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

Half  a  mile  was  covered  in  a  slow  and  painful 
fashion,  when  Larry  reached  a  small  clearing,  and 
here  he  sat  down  to  rest  on  a  fallen  tree  and  to 
examine  the  ankle,  which  he  was  afraid  was  again 
swelling.  He  was  engaged  in  looking  at  the 
wounded  member,  when  a  rough  Tagalog  voice 
broke  upon  his  ears. 

"What  do  you  here?"  demanded  a  heavy-set 
native,  in  his  own  tongue,  as  he  strode  forward,  gun 
in  hand,  followed  by  several  others. 

Larry  was  startled  and  leaped  up.  In  a  twin- 
kling he  found  himself  surrounded,  and  several 
Mausers  were  levelled  at  his  head. 

To  resist  would  have  been  the  height  of  foolish- 
ness, and  Larry  did  not  try.  The  Tagals  asked  him 
a  number  of  questions  in  their  own  tongue,  but  he 
shook  his  head  to  show  them  that  he  did  not  under- 
stand. On  their  part,  not  one  could  speak  English, 
so  neither  party  could  communicate  with  the  other. 

The  natives,  however,  soon  understood  that  he 
was  alone,  and  when  he  pointed  to  his  ankle  and 
limped,  also  understood  that  he  had  sprained  that 
member.  One  went  into  the  bushes,  and  presently 
returned  with  some  leaves,  which  he  crushed  and 
packed  inside  of  the  boy's  stocking.     The  juice  of 


LARRY   IS   SENTENCED  TO  BE   SHOT  287 

the  leaves  proved  very  cooling,  and  presently  much 
of  the  pain  from  the  sprain  went  away. 

The  Tagals  were  bound  for  the  cliff,  but  by  a 
route  different  from  that  which  Larry  had  travelled. 
As  the  boy  was  unarmed  and  could  scarcely  hobble 
along,  they  did  not  take  the  trouble  to  bind  him  in 
any  way.  He  was  made  to  march  with  half  of  the 
crowd  before  him  and  the  others  behind  ;  and  thus 
they  proceeded  until  the  cliff  was  reached,  at  a  point 
where  the  jungle  hid  a  series  of  rough  steps  leading 
to  the  top.  Beyond  the  top  of  these  steps  was  a 
mountain  trail,  which  by  nightfall  brought  them  to  a 
plateau  where  were  encamped  at  least  three  hundred 
Filipinos  of  all  classes,  the  Tagals  predominating. 

A  shout  went  up  as  Larry  appeared,  and  he  was 
at  once  recognized  as  one  of  the  prisoners  who  had 
escaped  from  the  caves,  which  were  fully  four  miles 
away. 

"  So  they  have  caught  you  again  ?  "  remarked  an 
under-officer,  as  he  strode  up  with  a  sinister  smile  on 
his  swarthy  countenance.  "You  did  not  get  very 
far." 

"  No,  I  had  a  bad  fall  and  lamed  my  foot,"  replied 
Larry,  as  cheerfully  as  he  could.  He  was  never  one 
to  "cry  over  spilt  milk." 


288  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"A  fall?    Where?" 

"I  fell  over  the  high  cliff  just  below  here." 

"  And  you  live  to  tell  it  ?     Impossible  I  " 

"  No,  it  is  true.  I  fell  into  a  large  tree,  and  that 
broke  my  fall.  But  I  was  badly  scratched  up,  and 
my  ankle  was  sprained." 

"A  rare  fall  truly,  boy.  It  would  have  been 
better,  though,  if  you  had  been  killed." 

"  Thank  you ;    I  like  that !  " 

"I  say  it  because  you  are  a  prisoner  who  has 
tried  to  escape  from  us.  Do  you  know  the  fate  of 
all  such?" 

At  these  words  Larry  could  not  help  but  shiver. 
He  knew  what  the  officer  up  at  the  cave  prison  had 
said,  —  that  any  prisoner  trying  to  escape  would 
be  shot  at  the  first  opportunity  which  presented 
itself. 

"Surely,  you  would  not  kill  me  for  trying  to 
get  away  ?  "   he  cried  quickly. 

The  under-officer  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "It 
is  not  for  me  to  change  our  regulations  of  war, 
boy.  Your  words  prove  that  you  knew  beforehand 
the  risk  you  were  running." 

"  Yes,  yes  —  but  —  You  would  try  to  get  away, 
too,  if  our  soldiers  caught  you." 


LARRY  IS   SENTENCED   TO  BE  SHOT  289 

u  Possibly  —  I  understand  you  treat  your  prisoners 
very  badly." 

46  Our  prisoners  are  treated  as  well  as  yours. 
And  we  would  not  kill  a  Filipino  for  having  tried 
to  escape,  —  unless,  of  course,  lie  was  shot  in  the 
attempt." 

"It  is  you  who  say  that  —  I  have  heard  vastly 
different  stories  ;  how  our  men  were  starved  and 
shot  down  without  mercy,  —  not  one  man,  but  hun- 
dreds of  them.  I  have  it  from  friends  in  Manila 
that  your  General  Otis  is  a  monster  who  would 
rather  kill  than  save  at  any  time." 

"  Your  friends  have  told  you  that  which  is  not 
true  I "  exclaimed  Larry,  warmly.  "  If  anything, 
General  Otis  is  too  kind-hearted,  especially  with 
those  who  have  done  their  best  to  put  the  city  in 
a  state  of  rebellion  and  those  who  have  tried  to 
burn  it  to  the  ground.  I  suppose  your  friends  had 
a  purpose  in  telling  you  what  was  not  true." 

"  I  take  my  friends'  words  in  preference  to  yours, 
boy,"  was  the  angry  answer.  "  Who  are  you  that 
come  to  take  our  country  away  from  us  —  the 
country  that  we  tried  so  hard  to  liberate  from  the 
iron  grasp  of  Spain  ?  The  land  is  ours,  and  no 
Americans  shall  govern  us.  We  will  fight  to  the 
o 


290  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

last,  —  from  the  cities  to  the  towns,  and  from  the 
towns  to  the  villages,  and  then  to  the  mountains, 
from  one  island  to  another,  —  and  you  shall  never 
conquer  us,  no  matter  how  large  an  army  you  send 
from  across  the  ocean.  But,  bah,  I  am  talking  to 
a  mere  boy,  when  I  might  have  better  sense." 
And  turning  on  his  heel  the  under-officer  strode 
away,  out  of  humor  with  himself  as  well  as  with 
Larry. 

The  youth  felt  utterly  crushed,  and  sitting  down 
on  a  rock,  with  a  heart  as  heavy  as  lead,  he  won- 
dered what  was  going  to  happen  next.  Would 
they  really  shoot  him  ?  The  thought  was  agony 
itself. 

There  were  no  other  prisoners  in  the  camp,  so 
he  was  left  for  a  long  time  alone,  although  several 
soldiers  kept  their  eyes  upon  him,  that  he  might 
not  wander  away.  Soon  supper  was  served,  and 
one  of  the  Tagals  brought  him  a  bowl  of  rice  and 
meat.  It  must  be  confessed  that  he  was  now  tre- 
mendously hungry,  and  ate  all  of  what  was  given 
him,  despite  his  down-heartedness. 

The  meal  finished,  the  Filipinos  were  sitting 
around  their  camp-fires,  when  a  certain  General 
Drummo  was  announced.      At  once  there  was  a 


LARRY   IS    SENTENCED   TO   BE   SHOT  291 

parade,  which  the  general  reviewed  with  satisfac- 
tion. The  newcomer  was  served  with  supper,  and 
then  Larry  was  brought  before  him. 

The  general  had  his  head  full  of  his  plans  for 
the  morrow  and  gave  the  boy  but  scant  attention. 

"  You  knew  the  risk  you  ran  when  you  stole 
away,"  he  said,  in  broken  English.  "  It  is  true  you 
are  but  a  boy,  yet  I'll  wager  you  can  use  a  gun 
better  than  some  of  our  own  men.  I  cannot  par- 
don you,  for  that  would  be  setting  a  bad  example. 
So  I  hereby  sentence  you  to  be  shot  at  sunrise 
to-morrow,  —  and  may  your  death  be  an  example 
to  others  who  are  thinking  of  escape." 

Before  Larry  could  say  a  word,  if  indeed  he 
wanted  to  speak,  he  was  led  away  to  a  hollow  back 
of  the  camp.  Here  he  was  tied  fast  to  a  tree,  and 
two  soldiers  were  detailed  to  guard  him  until  the 
hour  for  his  execution  should  arrive. 


CHAPTER   XXX 

A  RESCUE   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

"Nothing  here,  cap'n." 

It  was  Boxer  the  scout  who  spoke.  For  two 
hours  he,  Ben,  and  Luke  Striker  had  been  examin- 
ing the  trail  running  along  the  cliff.  They  could 
find  footprints  without  number,  but  no  trace  of 
Larry. 

"He  must  have  gone  somewhere,"  replied  Ben, 
who  could  not  bring  himself  to  give  up  the  hunt. 
"  He  wasn't  spirited  away.  I've  a  good  mind  to 
make  a  hunt  at  the  bottom  of  the  cliff." 

"As  you  will,  cap'n.  But,  remember,  this  air 
side  o'  the  valley  is  full  of  rebs,  and  if  they  catch 
us  —  " 

"We  must  be  on  our  guard,  Boxer." 

"  I've  got  my  eyes  wide  open,"  put  in  Luke. 
"  I  reckon  on  it  as  how  I  can  see  as  far  as  any  on 
'em,  too." 

The  walk  to  the  cliff  had  not  been  accomplished 
without  difficulty.     Twice  had  they  come  close  to 

292 


A   RESCUE   UNDER    DIFFICULTIES  293 

running  into  the  Filipino  pickets,  and  once  Luke 
had  been  almost  certain  they  were  being  followed, 
but  the  alarm  proved  false.  A  night  had  been 
spent  in  the  jungle,  and  at  a  point  within  half  a 
mile  of  where  Larry  lay  senseless  under  the  big  tree  ! 

The  hunt  had  revealed  to  the  party  the  series 
of  rough  steps  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter,  and 
down  these  they  now  went  and  continued  their 
search  at  the  base  of  the  cliff. 

"  What's  this  ?  "  came  from  the  old  sailor,  pres- 
ently, and  he  pointed  to  the  broken  sapling  hang- 
ing in  the  branches  of  the  big  tree.  With  the 
sapling  was  a  shred  of  a  garment,  fluttering  in 
the  breeze  like  a  signal  of  distress. 

A  close  examination  caused  them  to  reach  a 
conclusion  which  was,  as  we  already  know,  true ; 
namely,  that  Larry  had  come  down  with  the  sap- 
ling and  landed  in  the  big  tree. 

"And  he  wasn't  killed,  either,"  said  Boxer. 
"  For  here  is  where  he  built  a  fire  and  cooked 
some  birds'  eggs." 

"  And  he  visited  the  pool,  too,"  added  Ben, 
examining  the  tracks  with  care.  "  Funny  tracks 
these,"  he  added,  a  second  later. 

"He  was   hopping  on  one  foot,"  announced  the 


294  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

scout,  gravely.  "  That  looks  as  if  he  had  one  leg 
hurt." 

It  was  an  easy  matter  to  follow  the  trail  through 
the  jungle,  for  the  ground  was  damp  and  covered 
with  a  moss  which  was  torn  with  ease.  Soon  they 
reached  the  clearing  where  Larry  had  stopped  to 
examine  his  ankle. 

"  Hullo,  more  footprints !  "  ejaculated  Boxer,  his 
face  falling.  "  And  rebs,  too,  I'll  wager  a  new  hat. 
Cap'n,  I'm  afraid  your  brother  has  run  into  worse 
trouble." 

"It  certainly  looks  like  it,"  answered  Ben. 
"  Where  do  the  footprints  lead  to  ?  " 

Where  but  back  to  the  very  rocks  down  which 
they  had  come  but  a  few  hours  before !  Soon  they 
were  back  at  the  top  of  the  cliff  again. 

Before  leaving  the  valley  Boxer  studied  the  foot- 
prints closely,  and  now,  although  there  were  other 
footprints  above,  he  followed  the  party  having 
Larry  in  charge  without  making  a  single  error. 
But  it  was  slow  work,  and  the  encampment  of  the 
Filipinos  was  not  discovered  until  nightfall. 

"  We've  tracked  'em  to  a  finish,"  announced 
Boxer.  "  Don't  go  any  further,  cap'n  —  unless 
you  are  ready  to  do  some  tall  shooting." 


A  RESCUE   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES  295 

"I  can  do  some  shooting  if  it's  necessary," 
answered  Ben,  with  a  determined  look  on  his  face 
which  was  not  to  be  mistaken.  "I  should  like  to 
make  sure  my  brother  is  here." 

"  We'll  walk  around  the  camp  and  see,"  said 
Boxer,  and  this  they  did,  slowly  and  cautiously, 
each  with  his  weapons  ready  for  immediate  use. 
But  the  Filipinos  were  busy  eating  their  suppers 
and  smoking  cigarettes,  and  did  not  discover  them. 

"  There's  Larry ! "  cried  Luke,  after  a  while. 
And  he  pointed  to  one  side  of  the  camp.  The 
guards  were  just  taking  the  lad  to  the  general  to 
be  sentenced. 

"  Yes,  yes  !  "  answered  Ben.  He  handled  his 
pistol  nervously.  He  could  hardly  restrain  him- 
self from  rushing  forward  and  embracing  the  long 
lost.  Boxer  saw  what  was  in  his  mind  and  held 
him  back. 

"Don't  be  rash,  cap'n,"  whispered  the  scout. 
"If  you  are,  it  may  cost  all  of  us  our  lives." 

"  I  will  try  to  be  careful,"  was  the  answer,  with 
an  effort.  "  But  what  are  they  going  to  do  with 
him?" 

"  They  are  taking  him  over  to  yonder  tent." 

Soon    Larry    disappeared    inside    the    tent,   and 


296  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

they  crouched  behind  the  bushes  to  await  devel- 
opments. While  waiting,  Ben  made  a  mental  cal- 
culation of  the  number  of  the  enemy. 

"  A  battalion,  or  more,"  he  said  to  Boxer.  "  I 
wonder  what  they  are  doing  so  far  from  the  main 
body  of  the  troops?" 

"  Oh,  their  army  is  becoming  badly  scattered, 
cap'n.  General  Lawton  has  'em  on  the  run,  and 
there  won't  be  any  of  'em  left  when  he  gets  through 
with  'em." 

As  we  know,  the  scene  in  the  tent  was  a  short 
one,  and  soon  they  saw  Larry  come  out  again,  and 
saw  him  tied  to  the  tree.  The  two  soldiers 
detailed  to  guard  him  sat  on  either  side  of  their 
prisoner,  on  rocks  about  six  or  eight  yards  from 
the  tree. 

"  He  seems  to  be  the  only  prisoner  in  the  camp," 
whispered  Ben.  "I  wonder  if  I  can't  crawl  up 
and  cut  him  loose.  I  did  that  once  for  Gilbert 
Pennington." 

"  No,  no  !  "  interposed  Boxer.  "  Those  guards 
are  wide  awake  and  will  shoot  you  in  a  minute. 
Wait  till  it  gets  darker  —  we  may  get  a  chance  to 
do  something  then." 

Slowly  the   minutes    drifted   by,   Ben   watching 


A.   RESCUE   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES  297 

Larry  every  instant.  He  saw  that  his  younger 
brother  was  exceedingly  tired  and  held  one  foot 
up  as  if  in  pain.  The  young  sailor  had  asked 
if  he  might  not  lie  down,  but  this  comfort  had 
been  denied  him. 

Both  of  the  guards  were  puffing  vigorously  on 
their  cigarettes,  when  one  chanced  to  throw  down 
a  lighted  match  close  to  the  rock  upon  which  he 
was  sitting.  It  set  fire  to  some  dry  grass,  but 
instead  of  putting  it  out,  the  guard  watched  the 
tiny  conflagration  grow  stronger. 

"  Playing  with  fire,  eh  ? "  said  his  mate,  lightly. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  slow  answer.  "  How  I  would 
like  to  see  Manila  go  up  like  that !  " 

"Yes,  I  would  like  to  see  that,  too,  Carlos,  and 
the  Americans  in  the  flames.  Ah,  but  the  day 
when  we  are  to  take  the  capital  seems  a  long 
way  off  now." 

"  Never  mind ;  Aguinaldo  says  he  is  soon  to 
have  reinforcements  from  the  south.  When  they 
come,  let  the  American  dogs  beware !  " 

The  talk  was  carried  on  in  the  Tagalog  dia- 
lect, so  Larry  understood  not  a  word.  In  the 
meantime,  the  fire  crept  up,  making  the  guard's 
seat  anything  but  comfortable. 


298      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  That's  too  much,"  he  observed,  and  was  on 
the  point  of  kicking  the  fire  out  with  his  foot, 
when  of  a  sudden  he  uttered  a  wild  yell  that 
startled  everybody  near  him.  "  A  snake  !  a  snake  ! 
Oh,  what  a  long  creature  !  " 

For  from  under  the  rock  a  huge  reptile  had 
glided,  roused  up  by  the  heat.  It  was  a  snake 
peculiar  to  those  mountains,  and  all  of  ten  feet 
long  and  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm.  It  struck  the 
guard  in  the  knee,  and  then  whipped  around  in 
increased  anger,  for  its  tail  had  come  in  contact 
with  the  fire. 

"  A  snake  !  "  echoed  the  second  guard,  and  fired 
his  Mauser  at  the  reptile.  But  he  was  too  ex- 
cited to  shoot  straight,  and  the  bullet  glanced 
along  the  rock  and  struck  the  first  guard  in  the 
cheek,  inflicting  a  fairly  serious  wound. 
.  The  cries  of  the  two  guards  were  taken  up  on 
all  sides  of  the  camp,  and  especially  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  rock  from  under  which  the  reptile  had 
appeared.  All  the  soldiers  recognized  the  snake 
as  a  dangerous  enemy;  and  as  the  reptile  moved 
about,  first  one  and  then  another  ran  to  get  out 
of  its  way,  several  in  the  meantime  taking  hasty 
shots  at  it,  but  failing  to  do  any  serious   damage. 


A  RESCUE  UNDER   DIFFICULTIES  299 

For  several  minutes  the  prisoner  was  entirely  for- 
gotten. 

It  was  Ben  who  saw  the  opportunity,  —  Ben  and 
the  ever-faithful  Luke,  —  and  rushing  up,  they  cut 
Larry's  bonds  and  fairly  hustled  him  into  the 
depth  of  the  jungle  behind  the  encampment.  The 
young  sailor  could  hardly  understand  what  was 
taking  place,  but  when  he  recognized  his  brother 
and  his  old  messmate,  he  gave  a  shout  of  joy. 

"  You,  Ben !  and  Luke !  Oh,  I  must  be  dream- 
ing!" 

"  No,  you  are  not  dreaming,  Larry.  We've 
been  watching  you  for  a  long  while,  trying  to 
do  something.     Can  you  run?" 

"No;  I  sprained  my  ankle,  and  it  is  still  sore." 

"I'll  carry  him,"  said  Luke.  "You  lead  the 
way,  cap'n.  And  Boxer  had  better  bring  up  the 
rear  guard." 

"  Right  you  are,"  came  from  the  scout.  "  Have 
your  weapons  ready,  cap'n.  We  may  catch  it  hot, 
in  spite  of  the  alarm  over  the  snake.  Those  rebs 
will  be  as  mad  as  hornets  when  they  find  the 
lad  is  missing." 

Away  they  went,  Ben  trying  to  find  an  easy 
path,  —  which  was  no   small   thing  to  do   in   that 


300  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE   JUNGLE 

utter  darkness,  —  and  Luke  coming  up  behind, 
breathing  like  a  porpoise,  but  vowing  he  could 
carry  Larry  a  mile  were  it  necessary.  Boxer 
kept  as  far  to  the  rear  as  he  dared  without  miss- 
ing their  trail,  and  the  life  of  any  Filipino  who 
might  have  appeared  would  not  have  been  worth 
a  moment's  purchase  at  the  scout's  hands. 

They  had  covered  but  a  few  hundred  yards 
when  the  shouting  and  firing  at  the  encampment 
ceased.  "I  guess  the  snake  is  dead,"  said  Ben. 
"Now  they'll  be  after  us." 

The  young  captain  was  right ;  and  soon  they 
heard  the  enemy  breaking  through  the  jungle  in 
detachments  of  three  or  four  men  each,  all  hot- 
footed to  recapture  the  prisoner.  They  had  ob- 
served the  cut  ropes  and  wondered  if  it  was 
possible  that  Larry  had  severed  them  without 
assistance. 

It  was  not  long  before  Boxer  got  a  good  shot 
at  the  nearest  of  the  pursuers.  His  aim  was  true, 
and  the  Tagal  went  down  without  so  much  as  a 
groan.  His  companions  stopped  short,  and  then 
called  some  other  soldiers  to  the  scene.  "  The  boy 
is  armed  and  shoots  like  a  sharpshooter,"  they  told 
each   other ;    and   after   that   the   search   was   con- 


A   RESCUE   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES  301 

tinued  with  extra  care.  Of  course  Boxer  kept 
out  of  sight;  and  as  soon  as  he  could,  he  joined 
Ben  and  the  others. 

"  I  think  there  must  be  a  stream  close  at  hand, 
—  the  one  we  crossed  a  few  days  ago,"  said  he.  "  If 
we  can  get  to  that,  we'll  have  some  chance  to  hide." 

"Let's  get  to  it,  then,"  gasped  Luke,  who  felt 
that  he  could  keep  up  but  a  short  while  longer. 

"I'll  take  Larry,  Luke,"  put  in  Ben,  and  the 
transfer  was  made,  in  spite  of  the  old  sailor's 
protests.  Then  Luke  plunged  ahead  and  soon 
announced  that  he  could  see  the  river  through 
the  bushes  to  the  right.  Soon  they  came  out  on 
some  rocks.  The  stream  was  a  mountain  torrent, 
a  rod  wide  and  from  two  to  three  feet  deep. 
They  plunged  in  without  delay. 

As  they  could  not  walk  against  such  a  current, 
they  followed  the  stream  on  its  downward  course 
almost  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  where  the  torrent 
formed  a  pretty  series  of  waterfalls.  Then  they 
crossed  to  the  other  side,  and  climbed  into  a  tree 
growing  directly  at  the  water's  edge,  —  a  species 
of  willow,  with  long,  drooping  branches. 

"  We  ought  to  be  safe  here  —  at  least  for 
a  while,"  said  Boxer. 


302  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"  It's  hard  to  tell  where  one  would  be  safe 
here,"  answered  Ben.  "  The  whole  country  seems  to 
be  invested  with  scattered  bands  of  the  insurgents." 

He  asked  Larry  about  himself,  and  in  a  few 
words  the  younger  brother  told  his  story.  Then 
Boxer  stopped  the  talk. 

"In  a  situation  like  this,  it's  best  to  have  only 
ears  and  eyes,"  he  said,  and  all  saw  at  once  the 
aptness  of  the  remark. 

But  though  they  remained  on  guard  the  larger 
part  of  the  night,  nobody  came  to  disturb  them, 
and  the  only  sound  that  broke  the  stillness  was 
that  of  the  water  as  it  tumbled  over  the  rocks  below. 

Ben  was  much  worried  over  Larry's  ankle,  which 
had  begun  to  swell  again  through  having  stood 
so  long  on  it  while  being  tied  to  the  tree.  He 
brought  a  canteen  of  water  up  from  the  stream 
and  bathed  it  with  this.  This  moistened  the 
mashed-up  leaves  once  more,  and  then  the  in- 
jured member  felt  better,  and  Larry  caught  a  nap. 

"  I  reckon  we  had  better  be  moving  again," 
said  Boxer,  while  it  wanted  yet  an  hour  to  day- 
light. "Those  rebs  may  be  waiting  for  to  see  us, 
you  know." 

"  Well,  my  brother  can't  run,  so  perhaps  it  will  be 


A   RESCUE   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES  303 

just  as  well  if  you  take  a  scout  around  and  see  if  the 
coast  is  clear,"  said  Ben. 

"  Certainly,  cap'n."  And  Boxer  made  off  without 
delay,  moving  through  the  jungle  and  along  the 
stream  as  silently  as  some  wild  animal  in  search  of 
its  prey. 

Fifteen  minutes  and  more  passed,  and  they  began 
to  wonder  when  the  scout  would  come  back,  when  a 
low  whistle  reached  their  ears. 

"  It's  all  right,"  came  from  Boxer. 

"  Nobody  in  sight  ?  "  questioned  Ben. 

"Nary  a  reb,  cap'n." 

"I'm  glad  of  it,"  put  in  Larry,  with  a  sigh  of 
relief.  "  I  never  want  to  fall  in  with  them  again!  " 
And  he  shuddered.  He  would  never  forget  how 
close  he  had  been  to  death  at  their  hands. 

They  came  down  the  tree,  and  after  a  drink 
from  the  stream,  set  out  again,  this  time  following 
the  watercourse  over  the  rocks  until  the  cliff  was 
left  behind.  Here  they  struck  a  bit  of  marsh  and 
had  to  make  a  detour,  finally  coming  out,  much  to 
their  surprise,  on  what  appeared  to  be  a  regular 
highway  through  the  forest. 

"Now,  if  we  only  knew  where  this  leads  to," 
cried  Ben. 


304  THE  CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

"  I  reckon  it  leads  to  San  Isidro,"  came  from  Boxer. 
"  But  we  may  be  a  good  number  of  mil  —  " 

"  Look  !  look  !  "  ejaculated  Striker,  pointing  up 
the  road.  "  The  rebels,  as  sure  as  you  air  born ! 
An'  they  air  comin'  about  a  thousand  strong,  too. 
Boys,  we  air  lost  I  " 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  FALL   OF   SAN  1SIDRO —  CONCLUSION 

Luke  Striker  was  right ;  a  large  force  of  Fili- 
pinos were  sweeping  down  the  road  at  a  rapid  rate, 
bringing  with  them  two  old  field-pieces  and  a 
rapid-firing  gun.  They  were  commanded  by  sev- 
eral officers  on  horseback,  and  presented  a  formi- 
dable appearance  to  the  worn-out  Americans. 

"  Out  of  sight,  quick  !  "  The  cry  came  from  Ben. 
"It's  our  only  chance  to  escape." 

The  words  had  scarcely  left  his  lips  when  the 
pop-pop  of  several  Mausers  was  heard,  as  the  Fili- 
pino sharpshooters,  who  were  in  advance  of  the 
main  body,  opened  fire  upon  them.  Their  aim  was 
excellent,  and  both  Striker  and  Boxer  were  hit, 
although  neither  seriously. 

"  They've  caught  me  ! "  ejaculated  the  old  sailor, 
and  staggered  up  against  Ben.  At  the  same  time 
Boxer  pitched  headlong. 

"  Oh,  Luke  ! "  The  call  came  from  Larry,  who 
x  305 


306  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

was  limping  painfully.  "Where  did  they  hit  you? 
This  is  the  worst  of  all  ! " 

"  I'm  struck  in  the  shoulder.  But  come,  Ben  is 
right.  To  the  jungle  ! "  And  Striker  clutched 
Larry's  hand  in  a  death-like  grip,  bound  to  live  or 
die  with  his  closest  friend,  as  the  case  might  be. 

The  pair  started  forward.  Ben  hesitated  and 
looked  at  Boxer,  and  saw  the  latter  try  to  stagger 
up  once  more.  "  He's  not  dead,"  thought  the  young 
captain,  and  picked  the  sharpshooter  up.  In  a  few 
seconds  more  the  whole  party  were  in  the  jungle 
again. 

But  the  Filipinos  were  not  going  to  let  them  es- 
cape thus  easily,  and  coming  up  on  the  double-quick, 
a  detachment  began  to  search  the  bushes,  at  the 
same  time  calling  on  the  Americans  to  surrender 
if  they  wanted  to  save  their  lives. 

With  Larry  limping  painfully,  and  both  Luke 
and  Boxer  groaning  in  spite  of  their  efforts  to  keep 
silent,  the  Americans  looked  about  for  some  spot 
which  might  prove  a  safe  hiding-place.  But  the 
ground  here  was  level  and  the  jungle  rather  spare, 
and  for  those  who  were  wounded  to  climb  trees 
was  out  of  the  question. 

"  We'll  have  to  make  a  stand,  I'm   afraid,"  said 


THE   FALL   OF   SAN   ISIDRO  307 

Ben,  looking  to  his  pistol  to  see  if  it  was  fully 
loaded.     "They  are  coming —     Hark!" 

The  young  captain  broke  off  short,  as  a  loud 
shouting  from  the  road  interrupted  him.  Then 
came  a  volley  of  musketry,  followed  by  a  steady 
stream  of  shots. 

"  We've  got  them  this  time,  boys  ! "  came  in  a 
ringing,  English-speaking  voice.  "  Forward,  and 
don't  let  a  man  of  them  escape.  On  to  San 
Isidro  !  " 

"  Our  troops  ! "  cried  Larry.  "  Oh,  God  be 
praised  that  they  are  coming  this  way  !  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  our  troops  !  "  ejaculated  Ben.  "  And 
what  is  more,  my  regiment ! "  The  revulsion  of 
feeling  was  so  great  that  he   felt  like   dancing   a 

jig- 

The  shouting  and  firing  now  increased,  until  it 

was  almost  upon  them.  Then  followed  a  rush 
into  the  woods,  and  the  little  party  found  itself 
face  to  face  with  a  score  of  Filipinos. 

At  first  our  friends  were  greatly  alarmed,  and 
Ben  and  Larry  did  their  best  to  defend  them- 
selves by  firing  as  rapidly  as  possible  at  the  Tagals 
as  they  appeared.  But  the  enemy  was  retreating, 
and  gave  the  little  party  scant  attention.      Then 


308      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

came  a  yell  close  at  hand,  and  in  a  few  seconds 
a  squad  of  American  soldiers  burst  through  the 
thicket. 

"  Dan  Casey  ! "  cried  Ben,  as  he  recognized  the 
Irish  volunteer. 

"  Sure,  an'  is  it  Captain  Russell  ? "  came  from 
the  soldier,  joyfully.  "  It  is,  the  saints  be  praised  ! 
We've  been  a-wonderin'  what  had  become  of  yez  ! " 

"  Town  mit  dem  Filibinos  !  "  The  call  came 
from  Carl  Stummer,  and  soon  he  also  put  in  an 
appearance.  "Dis  vos  von  lucky  tay,"  he  said, 
when  he  saw  the  party.  "  Ve  haf  dem  repels  on 
der  run  like  neffer  vos." 

"  Then  send  them  a-flying,  Stummer,"  answered 
Ben.     "  Where  is  our  camp  ?  " 

"Pack  dere  apout  half  a  mile.  Ve  vos  move 
up  las'  night  und  steal  von  march  on  dem  Fili- 
binos." 

There  was  no  time  to  say  more,  excepting  to 
stop  several  of  the  soldiers,  and  assisted  by  these, 
the  whole  party  moved  to  the  rear,  through  line 
after  line  of  American  troops  now  hurrying  to  the 
firing  line,  for  it  was  General  Lawton's  plan  to 
give  the  Filipinos  no  rest  until  San  Isidro  and 
the  territory  in  its  vicinity  were  captured. 


THE  FALL  OP   SAN   ISIDRO  309 

Inside  of  half  an  hour,  Ben  had  seen  to  it  that 
Larry,  Luke,  and  Boxer  were  all  made  comfortable, 
and  then,  hastily  swallowing  a  bowl  of  coffee  and 
some  bread  and  meat,  he  hurried  after  his  com- 
mand, which  was  threshing  the  jungle  just  outside 
of  San  Isidro  for  scattered  bands  of  the  enemy 
such  as  the  young  captain  and  his  party  had  met. 
Soon  Ben  was  on  the  firing  line  once  more,  and 
warmly  greeted  by  Major  Morris,  Gilmore,  and  his 
other  friends. 

The  fighting  was  hot,  for  the  rebels  felt  that  if 
San  Isidro  was  taken,  nothing  would  remain  to 
them  but  the  mountains.  They  had  constructed  a 
high  embankment  just  outside  of  their  capital,  and 
this  they  were  defending  vigorously,  many  of  their 
leading  generals  being  at  the  front  to  direct  the 
movements. 

But  General  Lawton  was  now  in  his  element, 
and  feeling  that  his  troops  would  do  whatever  he 
asked  of  them,  he  began  to  spread  out  to  the 
right  and  the  left,  thus  enfilading  the  trenches 
behind  the  embankment,  which  presently  became 
so  uncomfortable  that  the  rebels  had  to  leave  them. 
At  the  same  time  a  centre  column  continued  the 
attack  from  the  front  —  a  centre  column  composed 


810  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF   THE  JUNGLE 

principally  of  Minnesota  troops  and  the  regiment 
to  which  Ben  belonged. 

"  They  are  leaving  the  trenches  !  "  exclaimed 
Major  Morris,  who  was  watching  the  progress  of 
the  battle  through  a  field-glass.  "Forward,  boys! 
They  are  on  the  run  again  1  " 

A  rattle  of  rifle-shots  followed,  and  the  battal- 
ion carried  the  middle  of  the  embankment  with  a 
wild  rush,  planting  Old  Glory  on  the  very  top  a 
minute  later.  Then  the  regiment  pushed  on  for 
San  Isidro  proper.  A  hot  skirmish  was  had  on 
the  main  street  of  the  town;  but  the  Filipinos  had 
had  enough  of  it,  and  by  nightfall  were  making 
for  the  mountains  as  rapidly  as  their  demoralized 
condition  would  permit. 

Senor  Romano  had  told  Ben  where  Benedicto 
Lupez  and  his  brother  Jose  had  been  stopping  in 
San  Isidro,  and  as  soon  as  the  young  captain 
could  get  the  opportunity  he  hurried  around  to 
the  place,  which  was  a  large  private  boarding- 
house. 

"There  is  a  man  here  by  the  name  of  Lupez,  I 
believe,"  he  said,  as  he  presented  himself,  followed 
by  a  detachment  of  half  a  dozen  of  his  men. 

The  boarding-house  keeper,  who  had   just   hung 


THE  FALL  OF  SAN  ISIDEO  31*. 

out  a  white  flag,  eyed  him  suspiciously.  "How 
do  you  know  that  Senor  Lupez  is  here  ? "  he 
questioned  slowly. 

"I  know  it,  and  I  want  to  see  him  at  once," 
returned  Ben,  sharply. 

"  He  is  —  is  not  here  —  he  —  he  went  away  this 
morning,"  came  with  much  hesitation. 

"Don't  ye  believe  him,  captain,"  put  in  Dan 
Casey,  who  was  in  the  detachment. 

"I  will  search  the  house,"  said  Ben,  quietly. 

The  keeper  of  the  boarding-place  protested,  but 
his  protest  was  of  no  avail.  The  house  was 
searched  from  top  to  bottom,  and  in  a  back  wing 
they  found  Benedicto  Lupez  in  bed,  suffering  from 
a  badly  injured  leg,  the  result  of  trying  to  ride  a 
half-broken  horse  which  the  insurgents  had  cap- 
tured from  the  Americans.  He  greeted  the  visi- 
tors with  a  villanous  scowl. 

At  first  he  tried  to  deny  his  identity,  but  the 
Americans  had  been  furnished  with  his  photograph, 
and  a  wart  on  his  forehead  proved  a  clew  that 
was  conclusive.  At  once  his  effects  were  searched, 
and  under  his  pillow  was  found  a  leather  bag 
containing  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  gold  and  in 
American  bank  bills. 


812  THE   CAMPAIGN   OF  THE  JUNGLE 

"This  is  the  money  you  stole  from  Braxton 
Bogg,"  said  Ben,  severely.  "You  need  not  deny 
it.     Where  is  the  rest?" 

At  first  Benedicto  Lupez  refused  to  talk,  but 
with  a  long  term  in  an  American  prison  in  Manila 
staring  him  in  the  face,  he  confessed  that  just 
previous  to  the  fall  of  San  Isidro,  he  had  divided 
what  was  left  of  the  money  with  his  brother 
Jose,  who  had  now  left  for  parts  unknown.  This 
confession  was  afterward  proved  to  be  true,  and, 
later  on,  Ben  learned  that  with  five  thousand  dol- 
lars of  the  stolen  funds  Jose  Lupez  had  purchased 
himself  a  general's  commission  in  the  insurgent 
army. 

"Well,  I  suppose  we  are  lucky  to  get  back  the 
fifty  thousand  dollars,"  said  Ben,  when  he  was 
telling  Larry  of  how  he  had  found  Benedicto 
Lupez.  "A  half -loaf  is  far  better  than  no  bread 
at  all,  you  know." 

"Yes,"  answered  the  young  sailor.  "And  who 
knows  but  that  we  may  run  across  this  Jose 
Lupez  some  day,  and  get  the  balance  ?  Anyway, 
the  recovery  of  that  fifty  thousand  dollars  means 
at  least  eight  or  ten  thousand  dollars  in  our 
pockets,  as  well  as  something  for  Uncle  Job.     Til 


THE  FALL  OF  SAN   ISIDRO  313 

wager  uncle  and  Walter  will  be  mighty  glad  to 
get  the  good  news  we  have  to  send  them."  And 
then  he  added  enthusiastically,  which  was  just 
like  Larry,  "  Hurrah,  Ben,  score  one  more  victory 
for  Young  America  and  Old  Glory  !  " 

Here  we  must  bring  to  a  close  the  adventures 
of  Ben  and  Larry  Russell  previous  to  and  during 
"  The  Campaign  of  the  Jungle  "  under  gallant  Gen- 
eral Lawton.  The  campaign  had  lasted  three  weeks, 
and  during  that  time  the  troops  had  covered  about 
a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  territory,  fought 
twenty-two  battles,  captured  twenty-eight  towns, 
and  destroyed  large  quantities  of  army  stores,  in- 
cluding three  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  rice. 
The  losses  to  the  Americans  had  been  about  fifty 
killed  and  wounded,  while  the  losses  to  the  Fili- 
pinos were  nearly  ten  times  as  great ! 

With  the  fall  of  San  Isidro,  General  Aguinaldo 
and  his  followers  retreated  to  the  mountains,  twelve 
miles  to  the  north  of  that  town.  At  the  same 
time  the  rebels  who  had  been  opposing  General 
MacArthur's  advance  fell  back  to  Tarlac,  thirty 
miles  beyond  San  Fernando.  But  the  Americans 
had   not   sufficient   troops   at  hand  with  which   to 


814  The  campaign  of  the  jungle 

garrison  the  many  towns  they  had  taken,  and  so 
it  was  not  long  before  some  of  the  rebels  came 
back  to  one  place  and  another,  to  take  what  they 
could  get,  and  to  harass  those  natives  who  had  been 
friendly  to  our  soldiers.  In  the  meantime  the 
rainy  season  put  a  stop  to  further  activity  on  a 
large  scale,  and  while  the  Filipinos  sued  again  for 
peace  (but  upon  their  own  terms),  General  Otis 
sent  for  additional  troops,  so  that  the  next  dry 
season  might  see  the  rebellion  brought  to  such  a 
finish  that  its  resurrection  would  be  an  impossibil- 
ity. Many  Americans  pitied  the  sad  condition  of 
the  Tagalogs,  but  all  felt  that  as  matters  were 
now  situated  the  supremacy  of  the  United  States 
throughout  the  Philippines  must  be  maintained. 
Once  the  insurgents  submitted  to  American  author- 
ity, we  would  do  the  very  best  we  could  by 
them. 

Shortly  after  the  fall  of  San  Isidro,  General  Law- 
ton's  command  marched  to  join  that  of  General 
MacArthur.  In  the  meantime  Larry  and  his 
wounded  friends  were  removed  to  the  hospital  at 
Manila,  whither  Gilbert  Pennington  had  already 
been  taken,  along  with  many  others.  Here  the 
sick    were    given    every    attention,   and    soon    the 


THE   FALL   OF   SAN  ISIDRO  315 

.majority  of  our  friends  were  on  a  speedy  road  to 
Aealth. 

Ben  felt  that  there  was  no  need  to  write  to 
Walter,  as  his  brother  would  ere  long  be  in  the 
Philippines,  but  he  wrote  to  his  Uncle  Job,  telling 
about  the  capture  of  Beneclicto  Lupez,  and  adding 
that  the  prisoner  had  been  sent  to  join  Braxton 
Bogg,  and  that  the  recovered  money  was  safe  in 
the  United  States  bank  at  Manila,  waiting  to  be 
returned  to  Buffalo.  He  also  told  about  Larry, 
and  added  that  since  the  Olympia  had  sailed  away 
without  him,  the  young  sailor  was  now  going  to 
throw  in  his  fortunes  with  the  soldiers. 

The  letter  brought  great  joy  to  Job  Dowling, 
and  he  immediately  wrote  back,  stating  how  pleased 
he  was,  and  adding  that  he  hoped  Ben  would  catch 
Jose  Lupez  and  recover  what  was  still  missing. 

"That  is  easier  said  than  done,"  said  Ben  to 
Larry,  as  the  pair  read  the  letter  together.  "  Still, 
if  this  Jose  Lupez  is  now  a  general  in  the  rebel 
army,  we  may  meet  some  day."  Strange  as  it  may 
seem,  that  day  was  not  far  off,  as  will  be  related 
in  a  sixth  and  concluding  volume  of  this  series, 
in  which  we  shall  meet  all  the  Russell  boys,  as  well 
as   Gilbert,  Luke,  and  many  of  our  other  friends 


316      THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 

again,  and  see  what  each  did  toward  carrying  out 
flag  to  a  final  and  lasting  victory  in  the  Philippines. 
But  now  let  us  leave  Ben  and  Larry,  and  also 
the  others.  All  had  done  well  and  richly  deserved 
the  rest  that  came  to  them.  Many  adventures  were 
still  in  store  for  them,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  any 
were  to  be  more  thrilling  than  those  encountered 
during  "  The  Campaign  of  the  Jungle." 


THE   FAMOUS  "OLD   OLORY   SERIES " 


By   EDWARD   STRATEMEYER 

Author  of  "  The  Bound  to  Succeed  Series,"  "  The  Ship  and  Shore 
Series"  "  Colonial  Series,"  "  Pan-American  Series"  etc. 

Six  volumes        Cloth        Illustrated        Price  per  volume  $1.25 

UNDER  DEWEY  AT  MANILA 

Or  The  War  Fortunes  of  a  Castawa- 

A  YOUNG  VOLUNTEER  IN  CUBA 
Or  Fighting  for  the  Single  Stat1 

FIGHTING  IN  CUBAN  WATERS 

Or  Under  Schley  on  the  BrooKiyit 

UNDER  OTIS  IN  THE  PHILIPPINES 
Or  A  Young  Officer  in  the  Tropics 

THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  THE  JUNGLE 
Or  Under  Lawton  through  Luzon 

UNDER  MACARTHUR  IN  LUZON 
Or  Last  Battles  in  the  Philippines 

"A  boy  once  addicted  to  Stratemeyer  stays  by  him." —  The  Zdmng 
Church. 

«'  The  boys'  delight  —  the  '  Old  Glory  Series.'  "  -—  The  Christian  Ad- 
vocate, New  York. 

"  Stratemeyer's  style  suits  the  boys."  —  John  Terhune,  Supt.  of  Pub- 
lic Instruction,  Bergen  Co.,  New  Jersey. 

"  Mr.  Stratemeyer  is  in  a  class  by  himself  when  it  comes  to  writing 
about  American  heroes,  their  brilliant  doings  on  land  and  sea."  —  Times, 
Boston. 

"  Mr.  Stratemeyer  has  written  a  series  of  books  which,  while,  histori- 
cally correct  and  embodying  the  most  important  features  of  the  Spanish- 
American  War  and  the  rebellion  of  the  Filipinos,  an.  sufficiently  inter= 
'voven  with  fiction  to  render  them  most  entertaining  to  young  readers. :- 
-  The  Cali,  San  Francisco. 


Fcr  sale  by  all  booksellers,  or  sent,  postpaid,  on  reempt  of  price  bjf 

Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  Boston 


Mr.  Stratemeyer's  popularity  will  be  increased  by  "  Dave 
Porter."— Times,  Hartford,  Conn. 

DAVE  PORTER  SERIES 

By  EDWARD  STRATEMEYER 

VOLUME  ONE 

DAVE  PORTER  AT  OAK  HALL 

Or  the  Schooldays  of  an  American  *Boy 

312  pages    Illustrated    Price  $1.25 

NEVER  was  there  a  brighter,  more  manly,  thoroughly  up-to-date  boy 
than  Dave  Porter,  and  all  boys  who  read  about  him,  and  girls  too, 
for  the  matter  of  that,  will  be  sure  to  love  him  from  the  start.  How,  as 
a  green  country  boy,  he  went  to  Oak  Hall,  how  he  was  hazed,  and  how 
he  had  to  fight  his  way  through  is  told  with  a  naturalness  that  is  true 
to  life. 

The  story  is  told  with  great  fidelity  to  real  life.  —  Eagle,  Brooklyn,  JV.  Y. 

VOLUME  TWO 

DAVE  PORTER  IN  THE  SOUTH  SEAS 
Or  The  Strange  Cruise  of  the  Stormy  Petrel 

286  pages    Illustrated    Price  $1.25 

T^AVE  is  the  same,  bright,  wide-awake  youth  he  was  at  school,  and  his 
*-'  adventures  on  shipboard  and  among  the  unexplored  islands  of  the 
South  Seas  will  render  him  dearer  to  the  hearts  of  the  boys  than  ever.  Dave 
is  trying  to  solve  the  mystery  of  his  parentage,  and  several  of  his  school 
chums  are  with  him  during  his  wanderings,  some  sharing  his  perils. 

VOLUME  THREE 

DAVE  PORTERS  RETURN  TO  SCHOOL 
Or  Winning  the  Medal  of  Honor 

304  pages    Illustrated    Price  $1.25 

TN  this  volume  the  scene  is  shifted  back  to  Oak  Hall,  and  once  again 
*•  Dave  becomes  the  center  of  as  interesting  a  group  of  schoolboys  as  it  is 
possible  to  imagine.  There  is  a  strong  plot,  with  plenty  of  fun,  and  not 
a  few  rivalries  on  the  athletic  field,  and  the  whole  volume  has  a  swing 
and  a  dash  that  are  irresistible. 

A  good  wholesome  story,  full  of  fun  and  go. —  Christian  Work,  N.  Y. 

Each  story  that  comes  from  Edward  Stratemeyer's  pen  L?  eagerly  read. — Boston 
Herald. 


Both  Sides  of  the  Great  Civil  War 

DEFENDING  HIS  FLAG 

Or  A  <Boy  in  Blue  and  a  Boy  in  Gray 
By  Edward  Stratemeyer 


431  pages    Eight  full-page  illustrations  by  Griswold  Tyng 
Beautifully  bound  in  colors  and  gold    Price  $1.50 

This  tale  relates  the  adventures  of  two  boys,  or  rather 
young  men,  during  the  first  campaign  of  our  great 
Civil  War.  One  enlists  in  the  infantry  of  the  North,  while 
the  other  throws  in  his  fortunes  with  the  cavalry  of  the 
South.  Of  the  story  Mr.  Stratemeyer  himself  says  : 

"In  writing  this  work  I  have  had  but  one  object  in  view,  and  that  was 
to  give  a  faithful  picture  of  a  part  of  the  Civil  War  as  seen  from  both  sides 
of  that  never-to-be-forgotten  conflict.  During  the  war,  and  for  years  after- 
ward, grown  folk  and  young  people  were  treated  to  innumerable  books  on 
the  subject,  all  written  from  either  the  Northern  or  the  Southern  point  of 
view,  thoroughly  biased,  and  calculated  to  do  more  harm  than  good.  .  . 
I  think  the  time  has  come  when  the  truth,  and  the  whole  truth  at  that,  can 
be  told,  and  when  it  will  do  positive  good.  Since  the  Spanish-American 
War,  when  some  of  the  gallant  Southern  officers  and  men  made  such  records 
for  themselves  under  Old  Glory,  the  old  lines  have  been  practically  wiped 
out.  Tke  reconstructed  South  is  as  firm  a  part  of  our  nation  as  was  the 
old  South  during  the  first  half  of  the  last  century,  and  it  has  a  perfect  right 
to  honor  the  memories  of  those  who,  while  wearing  the  gray  and  march- 
ing under  the  stars  and  bars,  fought  so  gallantly  for  what  they  considered 
was  right  and  true." 

The  mantle  of  Henty,  as  a  writer  of  books  of  history  and  travel  for  boys,  seems  to 
have  fallen  on  Mr.  Stratemeyer. —  Zion's  Herald,  Boston. 

Everybody  knows  that  Edward  Stratemeyer  is  the  most  widely  read  of  all  living 
American  writers  for  boys.— Dispatch,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 


SOLDIERS  OF  FORTUNE  SERIES 

By  EDWARD  STRATEMEYER 

VOLUME  ONE 

ON  TO  PEKIN 

Or  Old  Glory  in  China, 

Cloth    330  pages    Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute    $1.25 

THE  hero,  Gilbert  Pennington,  goes  from  the  Philippines  with  the 
Ninth  Regiment  to  take  part  in  the  rescue  of  the  beleaguered  Brit- 
ish Embassy  at  Pekin  by  the  international  forces.  Mr.  Stratemeyer  has 
risen  to  the  occasion  by  giving,  in  addition  fo  one  of  his  very  best  stories, 
a  store  of  information  concerning  China  and  the  Chinese,  conveyed  in  a 
natural  and  entertaining  manner. 

The  demands  of  boy  readers  are  peculiar,  and  the  author  who  can  sat- 
isfy them,  not  once  or  twice,  but  nniformly,  must  possess  rare  ability  in 
an  extremely  difficult  field.  Such  an  author  is  Edward  Stratemeyer.  — 
Sunday  JVews,  Newark,  N.  J. 

VOLUME  TWO 

UNDER  THE  MIKADO fS  FLAG 

Or  Young  Soldiers  of  Fortune 

320  pages    Cloth    Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute    Price  $1.25 

*'  T  TNDER  the  Mikado's  Flag"  relates  the  adventures  of  two  young 
v_/  Americans  in  Korea  and  Manchuria  during  the  outbreak  of  the 
great  war  between  Russia  and  Japan,  one  of  the  leading  characters  being 
Gilbert  Pennington,  the  hero  of  "On  to  Pekin,''  and  the  other,  Ben 
Russell,  who  with  his  brothers,  Larry  and  Walter,  is  so  well  known  to  the 
thousands  of  readers  of  the  famous  "Old  Glory  Series."  It  closes  with 
the  great  Battle  of  Liao-Yang,  and  is  as  valuable  for  the  information 
conyeyed  as  it  is  interesting  as  a  story. 

Mr.  Stratemeyer  is  undoubtedly  improving  very  greatly  on  the  average 
book  for  boys.  —  Star,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

He  knows  how  to  attract  and  hold  boy  readers.  —  Evening  Standard, 
New  Bedford)  Mass, 


SOLDIERS  OF  FORTUNE  SERIES 

By   EDWARD   STRATEMEYER 


VOLUME  THREE 

AT  THE  FALL  OF  TORT  ARTHUR 

Or  A  Young  American  in  the  Japanese  Navy 

300  pages     Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute    Price  $1.25 

'  I  "HIS  story  relates,  primarily,  the  adventures  of  Larry  Russell, 
*-       who  is  on  board  his  old  ship,  the   Columbia,  which  is  carry- 
ing a  cargo  for  the  Japanese  government.     The  j'oung  sailor  joins 
the  Japanese  navy,  and  under  Admiral  Togo  assists  at  the  bombard- 
ment of  Port  Arthur.     Life  in  the  Japanese  navy  is  described  in 
detail,  and  also  life  in  Port  Arthur  during  the  siege  and  bombard- 
ment, which  has  few  parallels  in  history. 
"At  the  Fall  of  Port  Arthur"  is  very  well  told.  —  Chronicle,  San  Franctsca. 
A  rattling  good  story  for  boys. — Republican,  Denver,  Col. 

VOLUME  FOUR 

UNDER  TOGO  FOR  JAPAN 

Or  Three  Young  Americans  on  Land  and  Sea 

310  pages    Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute    12mo    Cloth  $1.25 

/T,HE  "Soldiers  of  Fortune  Series"  is  a  continuation  of  the  famous 
"  Old  Glory  Series,"  and  enjoys  equal  popularity.  The  prin- 
cipal characters  are  Ben  and  Larry  Russell,  Gilbert  Pennington, 
and  the  fine  old  gunner,  Luke  Striker,  all  of  whom  are  well  known 
to  thousands  of  readers.  The  climax  of  the  book  naturally  deals 
with  the  Battle  of  the  Sea  of  Japan  and  Admiral  Togo's  wonderful 
-victory,  in  which  Larry  and  Luke  Striker  bear  an  honorable  part. 
The  fortunes  of  Ben  and  Gilbert  Pennington  on  land  also  furnish 
much  that  is  of  interest. 

The  youth  who  finds  a  good  story  of  war  adventure  on  the  sea  to  his  liking  will 
gain  his  heart's  desire  in  "  Under  Togo  for  Japan." — Philadelphia  Press. 

Younj  readers  will  find  the  volume  entertaining  from  first  to  last. — News,  Baltic 
more,  Md. 

Will  undoubtedly  prove  a  favorite  with  the  boys. — Advertiser,  Newark,  N.J. 

No  more  popular  book  for  boys  could  -be  imagined  just  at  this  time.'— 
Christian  Endeavor  World. 


PAN-AMERICAN  SERIES 

By  EDWARD  STRATEMEYER 

VOLUME  ONE 

LOST  ON  THE  ORINOCO 

Or  American  Boys  in  Venezuela 

12mo    Cloth    Illustrated    Price  $1.25 

THIS  volume  tells  of  five  American  youths,  who,  with  their  tutor,  sail 
from  New  York  to  La  Guayra,  touching  at  Curacao  on  the  way. 
They  visit  Caracas,  go  westward  to  the  Gulf  of  Maracaibo  and  lake  of 
the  same  name,  and  at  last  find  themselves  in  the  region  of  the  mighty 
Orinoco,  and  of  course  they  have  some  exciting  experiences,  one  of  which 
gives  name  to  the  book. 

Its  pictures  of  South  American  life  and  scenery  are  novel  and  instructive.— 
The  Literary  World,  Bos/on. 

The  scenes  described  are  of  the  sort  to  charm  the  hearts  of  adventurous  boys.— 
The  Outlook,  N.  T. 

VOLUME  TWO 

THE  YOUNG  VOLCANO  EXPLORERS 

Or  American  Boys  in  the  West  Indies 

I2mo    Cloth    Illustrated    Price  $1.25 

T"*HE  boys,  with  their  tutor,  sail  from  Venezuela  to  the  West  Indies, 
*  stopping  at  Jamaica,  Cuba,  Hayti,  and  Porto  Rico.  They  have 
numerous  adventures  on  the  way,  and  then  set  out  for  St.  Pierre,  Mar- 
tinique, where  they  encounter  the  effects  of  the  eruption  of  Mt.  Pelee, 
and  two  of  the  boys  are  left  on  a  raft  to  shift  for  themselves.  Life  in  the 
West  Indies  is  well  portrayed. 

VOLUME  THREE 

YOUNG  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  ISTHMUS 
Or  American  Boys  in  Central  America 

306  pages     Cloth     Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute     Price  $1.25 

"DELATES  adventures  in  a  tour  covering  Nicaragua,  Costa  Rica, 
*■  *■  and  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  The  party  travel  the  various  canal 
routes,  and  have  a  number  of  highly  interesting  experiences.  The  vol- 
ume contains  a  vast  amount  of  timely  information,  and  will  be  read  with 
interest  by  young  men  as  well  as  boys. 


PAN-AMERICAN  SERIES 

By  EDWARD  STRATEMEYER 


VOLUME  FOUR 

YOUNG  EXPLORERS  OF  THE  AMAZON 
Or  American  Boys  in  Brazil 

300  pages     12mo     Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute    Price  $1.25 

AN  absorbing  tale  of  sight-seeing  and  adventures  in 
Brazil.  The  five  boys  and  their  tutor  travel  the 
whole  seacoast  from  Rio  de  Janeiro  to  Para,  and  then 
move  up  the  Amazon  into  the  rubber  country  and  beyond. 
The  volume  is  filled  with  pen-pictures  of  life  as  it  exists 
in  Brazil  to-day,  and  will  be  heartily  enjoyed  by  all  young 
people. 

The  Pan-American  Series  by  Edward  Stratemeyer  has  been  declared  by 
the  boys  of  this  country  to  be  the  most  up-to-date  of  all  reading  for  the 
young.    Filled  with  action  and  good  fellowship. —  Waverley  Magatine. 

VOLUME  FIVE 

TREASURE  SEEKERS  OF  THE  ANDES 

Or  American  Boys  in  Peru 

310    pages     Illustrated  by  Charles  Nuttall      Price  $1.25 

THIS  volume  takes  the  young  explorers  from  the  head 
of  the  Amazon  River  to  the  coast  of  Peru  and  then 
into  the  mighty  snow-topped  mountains.  One  of  the  boys 
obtains  possession  of  a  secret  regarding  a  Spanish  treasure 
and,  with  a  companion,  goes  in  quest  of  the  same,  and  both 
get  lost  in  a  series  of  caves.  The  volume  is  up-to-date  and 
will  please  both  young  and  old. 

Mr.  Stratemeyer  has  acquired  the  art  of  weaving  a  good  deal  of  solid 
information  with  his  web  of  startling  adventure. — San  Francisco  Bulletin. 


American  Boys'  Biographical  Series 

By  EDWARD   STRATEMEYER 

VOLUME  ONE 

AMERICAN  BOYS' 

LIFE  OF  WILLIAM  McKINLEY 

300  pages     Illustrated  by  A.  B.  Shute  and  from  Photo- 
graphs   $1.25 

HERE  is  told  the  whole  story  of  McKinley's  boyhood  days,  his  life 
at  school  and  at  college,  his  work  as  a  school  teacher,  his  glorious 
career  in  the  army,  his  struggles  to  obtain  a  footing  as  a  lawyer, 
his  efforts  as  a  Congressman  and  a  Governor,  and  lastly  his  prosperous 
career  as  our  President,  all  told  in  a  style  particularly  adapted  to  beys  and 
young  men.  The  book  is  full  of  interesting  anecdotes,  all  taken  from 
life,  showing  fully  the  sincere,  honest,  painstaking  efforts  of  a  life  cut  all 
too  short.  The  volume  will  prove  an  inspiration  to  all  boys  and  young 
men,  and  should  be  in  every  library. 

For  nearly  a  year  Mr.  Stratemeyer  has  been  gathering  material  and 
giving  careful  study  to  the  life  of  the  young  William,  his  childhood,  his 
boyhood,  and  all  his  inspiring  and  romantic  history.  The  story  was  near- 
ing  its  end  when  the  awful  finale  came  and  tragedy  ended  the  drama  of 
President  McKinley's  life. —  New  York  Journal. 

VOLUME  TWO 

AMERICAN  BOYS'  LIFE  OF 

THEODORE  ROOSEVELT 

300  pages     i2mo     Illustrated  from  Photographs     $1.25 

THIS  excellent  work  for  young 
people  covers  the  whole  life  of 
our  strenuous  executive,  as  school- 
boy, college  student,  traveler,  author, 
hunter  and  ranchman,  as  assembly- 
man, as  civil  service  commissioner, 
as  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
as  a  daring  rough  rider,  as  Governor 
of  New  York,  and  lastly  as  President. 
Full  of  stories  taken  from  real  life 
and  told  in  a  manner  to  interest  both 
young  and  old. 

We  unreservedly  recommend  Mr.  Strate- 
noeyer's  books  for  boys.  They  are  wholesome,  accurate  as  to  historical 
details>  and  always  interesting. — •  Boston  Times, 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  BOYS 

By  EDWARD  STRATEMEYER 

TWO  YOUNG  LUMBERMEN 

Or  From  Maine  to  Oregon  for  Fortune 

320  pages    Cloth    Illustrated    Price  $1.25 

A  SPLENDID  story,  the  scene  shifting  from  Maine  to 
Michigan  and  the  Great  Lakes,  and  then  to  the  Col- 
umbia and  the  Great  Northwest.  The  heroes  are  two  sturdy 
youths  who  have  been  brought  up  among  the  lumbermen 
of  their  native  State,  and  who  strike  out  in  an  honest  en- 
deavor to  better  their  condition.  An  ideal  volume  for  every 
wide-awake  American  who  wishes  to  know  what  our  great 
lumber  industry  is  to-day. 

Mr.  Stratemeyer's  books  are  not  only  entertaining  but  instructive. — Daily 
Press,  Portland,  Me. 

Profitable  reading  for  its  information  concerning  a  great  American  indus- 
try.—  Outlook,  New  York. 

The  book  is  an  excellent  one  for  youngsters. — Republican,  Springfield, 
Mass. 

A  rattling  good  story. — Herald,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Mr.  Stratemeyer  is  able  to  give  an  air  of  reality  to  his  work  which  com- 
mends it. — Chicago  News. 

BETWEEN  BOER  AND  BRITON 

Or  Two  Boys'  Adventures  in  South  Africa 

Illustrated  by  A.  Burnham  Shute    354  pages    Price  $1.25 

RELATES  the  experiences  of  two  boys,  cousins  to 
each  other,  one  American  and  the  other  English, 
whose  fathers  are  engaged  in  the  Transvaal,  one  in  farming 
and  the  other  in  mining  operations.  While  the  two  boys 
are  off  on  a  hunting  trip  after  big  game  the  war  between 
the  Boers  and  Britons  suddenly  breaks  out,  and  while  en- 
deavoring to  rejoin  their  parents  the  boys  find  themselves 
placed  between  hostile  armies. 

A  stirring  story  of  the  South  African  War. —  The  Journal,  Indianapolis, 
Ind. 

Mr.  Stratemeyer  certainly  gets  right  next  to  the  boys'  heart  in  his  excel- 
lent  stories  of  adventure. — News,  Providence,  R.  I, 

The  author  is  one  of  the  most  accomplished  writers  for  the  young.-— 
San  Francisco  Chronicle, 


SCHOOL  OF  INFORMATION 
AND  LIBRARY  SCIENCE 

THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


ENDOWED  BY  THE 

DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 

SOCIETIES 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


PRESENTED  BY 

Elizabeth  Preston  Ward 

in  memory  of 
Jean  Versfelt  Preston 


